Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 7
Pad 7 of the 84 pads of the Shri Hit Chaurasi, composed in Braj Bhasha by Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya. It opens: “आजु निकुंज मंजु में खेलत”.
The pad in full
आजु निकुंज मंजु में खेलत,
नवल किशोर नवीन किशोरी ।
अति अनुपम अनुराग परस्पर,
सुनि अभूत भूतल पर जोरी ।।
विद्रुम फटिक विविध निर्मित धर,
नव कर्पूर पराग न थोरी ।
कौमल किसलय सयन सुपेसल,
तापर श्याम निवेसित गोरी ।।
मिथुन हास-परिहास परायण,
पीक कपोल कमल पर झोरी ।
गौर श्याम भुज कलह मनोहर,
नीवी-बंधन मोचत डोरी ।।
हरि-उर-मुकुर विलोकि अपनपौ,
विभ्रम विकल मान-जुत भोरी ।
चिबुक सुचारु प्रलोइ प्रबोधत,
पिय-प्रतिबिंब जनाय निहोरी ।।
नेति-नेति बचनामृत सुनि-सुनि,
ललितादिक देखत दुरि चोरी ।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश करत कर धूनन,
प्रणयकोप मालावलि तोरी
In Roman letters
aaju nikunj manju men khelat,
naval kishor naveen kishoree .
ati anupam anuraag paraspar,
suni abhoot bhootal par joree .
vidrum phatik vividh nirmit dhar,
nav karpoor paraag n thoree .
kaumal kisalay sayan supesal,
taapar shyaam nivesit goree .
mithun haas-parihaas paraayan,
peek kapol kamal par jhoree .
gaur shyaam bhuj kalah manohar,
neevee-bandhan mochat doree .
hari-ur-mukur viloki apanapau,
vibhram vikal maan-jut bhoree .
chibuk suchaaru praloi prabodhat,
piy-pratibinb janaay nihoree .
neti-neti bachanaamrit suni-suni,
lalitaadik dekhat duri choree .
(jai shree) hit harivansh karat kar dhoonan,
pranayakop maalaavali toree
The pads of the Chaurasi are left here without a translation, as on the full Chaurasi page: sixteenth century Braj Bhasha does not survive a one-line English gloss, and a wrong meaning of a devotional text is worse than none. Each pad closes with the chhap, the signature line naming Shri Hit Harivansh, which is how a pad is known to be his.
Questions about pad 7
Who wrote pad 7 of the Shri Hit Chaurasi?
Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya, in the sixteenth century. The closing line carries his name, the traditional signature of authorship in Braj poetry.
How does pad 7 begin?
It opens “आजु निकुंज मंजु में खेलत”, in Roman letters “aaju nikunj manju men khelat,”.
Is pad 7 sung or recited?
Sung. The pads of the Chaurasi are set to classical ragas, and rasik sants in the kunjs of Vrindavan still sing them.
Why is there no English meaning for this pad?
Braj Bhasha of this period carries layers that a short English gloss flattens, and a wrong paraphrase of a devotional text is worse than none. The text is given as it is recited.
Can I download the Shri Hit Chaurasi?
Yes. All 84 pads are in a free PDF on the downloads page, with no account or email needed.