Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 73
Pad 73 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: “खंजन मीन मृगज मद मेंटत”.
The pad in full
खंजन मीन मृगज मद मेंटत,
कहा कहौं नैननिं की बातैं।
सनी सुंदरी कहाँ लौं सिखईं,
मोहन बसीकरन की घातैं।
बंक निसंक चपल अनियारे,
अरुन स्याम सित रचे कहाँ तैं।
डरत न हरत परयौ सर्वसु मृदु मधुमिव मादिक दृग पातैं॥
नैंकु प्रसन्न दृष्टि पूरन करि,
नहिं मोतन चितयौ प्रमदा तैं।
(जै श्री) हित हरिवंश हंस कल गामिनि,
भावै सो करहु प्रेम के नातैं
In Roman letters
khanjan meen mrigaj mad mentat,
kahaa kahaun nainanin kee baatain.
sanee sundaree kahaan laun sikhaeen,
mohan baseekaran kee ghaatain.
bank nisank chapal aniyaare,
arun syaam sit rache kahaan tain.
darat n harat parayau sarvasu mridu madhumiv maadik drig paatain.
nainku prasann drishti pooran kari,
nahin motan chitayau pramadaa tain.
(jai shree) hit harivansh hans kal gaamini,
bhaavai so karahu prem ke naatain
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 73
Who wrote pad 73 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 73 begin?
It opens “खंजन मीन मृगज मद मेंटत”, in Roman letters “khanjan meen mrigaj mad mentat,”.
Is pad 73 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.