Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 76
Pad 76 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: “नागरीं निकुंज ऐंन किसलय दल रचित सैंन”.
The pad in full
नागरीं निकुंज ऐंन किसलय दल रचित सैंन,
कोक कला कुसल कुँवरि अति उदार री।
सुरत रंग अंग अंग हाव भाव भृकुटि भंग,
माधुरी तरंग मथत कोटि मार री।
मुखर नूपुरनि सुभाव किंकनी विचित्र राव,
विरमि विरमि नाथ वदत वर विहार री।
लाड़िली किशोर राज हंस हंसिनी समाज,
सींचत हरिवंश नैंन सुरस सार री
In Roman letters
naagareen nikunj ainn kisalay dal rachit sainn,
kok kalaa kusal kunvari ati udaar ree.
surat rang ang ang haav bhaav bhrikuti bhang,
maadhuree tarang mathat koti maar ree.
mukhar noopurani subhaav kinkanee vichitr raav,
virami virami naath vadat var vihaar ree.
laarilee kishor raaj hans hansinee samaaj,
seenchat harivansh nainn suras saar ree
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 76
Who wrote pad 76 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 76 begin?
It opens “नागरीं निकुंज ऐंन किसलय दल रचित सैंन”, in Roman letters “naagareen nikunj ainn kisalay dal rachit sainn,”.
Is pad 76 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.