Padhams

Padhams are scholarly compositions. The word, "Padha" was used to describe any "devotional song" in the olden days, but in recent times it is used to describe a particular type of musical form which belongs to dance repertoire. Though the padham belongs to the world of dance music, it is often sung in concerts (usually towards the end) because of its excellent musical quality. The sangītham(musicality) and Sāhithyam(lyrics) of the Padham are heavy. This form was perfected in the 17th Century by Kṣhethragna who is aptly called Father of the modern Padham.

The Padham has three sections: Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charaṇam, it is usually sung in a slower tempo. It may have three or more Charaṇams which are usually sung in the same tune, though they are textually different. The text deals with the concept of the "lover and beloved".

Padham brings out the relationship of Nāyaka-Nāyaki (hero and heroine) as well as thōzhi (close friend) explaining the joy, sorrow, and other feelings of love. They indirectly refer to god, since the Nāyaka is said to represent the “Paramāthma” (Great Soul, God), the Nāyikā(heroine) represents the Jīvāthma (human soul, man), and the thōzhi represents the guru (teacher), so the words of each is thought to help the audience reach mōkṣha (heaven).

In dance, Padhams give more importance to the Abhinaya part than footwork. But, unless the dancer inwardly feels the emotions, she cannot perform the Padham well. Each line of the song can be interpreted in many different ways. Karnātic music has hundreds of Padhams composed by poets and musicians and many of these have been rendered in dance. In Thelugu, padhams often have Lord Kriṣhṇa as the Nāyaka, while Tamil Padhams often have Lord Subramaṇya (Murugan) as their Nāyaka.

The first padhams in Sanskrit were composed by Vāsudheva Kavi who adorned the court of King Sarfoji of Tanjore. In the present days lyrics in Marāṭhi, Kannada and other languages are used for performing padham. However, in the olden days it was limited to Thelugu and Tamil only. And then there is the variety known as Kshethragna padham, which every artiste considers to be quite a challenge to execute. The verses of Kshethragna are set to slow rhythm but the emotions that are expressed in them are a bit too complex and a real challenge for the artiste to bring them out through sthāyi bhāva. If an artiste can perform to the verses of Kshethragna he or she can be considered to have mastered the art a great deal.

Most of the padhams are woven around God. Since the main theme of padham is the expression of feelings of the Nāyaki - estranged or otherwise - it can safely be concluded that the rasa would always be Śhrungāra and the God on whom the verse is written would always be in the male form.

Rāga: Sahāna

Thāḷa: Thripuṭa

Composer: Kṣhethragnya

Language: Thelugu

Meanings - Word by word& Overall; Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi

Mérakādhu Rammanavé Nā Sāmini

Anupallavi

Mōrathōpu Séyaka Muvvagōpālaswāmini

Charaṇam 1

Aligévāralu Lérō Anthalōne Sammathinchi Kalisevārulérō Kalikirōyippuḍu

Chalapaṭṭi Indhu Rāḍu Chālamrōkkina Vinaḍu Valarājubārikōrva Vaśhamugādhōyamma

Charaṇam 2

Nénaruna Né Nōkkaṭanṭe Nélathāvāḍe Néramu Chésiyanarāni Māṭalāḍiyalainchéné

Vanithā Mōhambudhilō Munigi Yeṭḷōrchudhāna Thanavanṭi Sāmikidhi Thagavukādhané Kōmma

Charaṇam 3

Mamathathō Chinnanāḍe Macchika Chési Nannu Samarathula Nélinaṭṭichanavuna Nénu

Gamakinchi Mōvipanṭa Gantijésithinani Ramaṇi Muvvagōpāluḍu Rākaparāku Jéséné

Meaning:

Pallavi

Mérakādhu Rammanavé Nā Sāmini

Mérakādhu- not reasonable;  

Rammanavé– ask him to come;  

Nā– my;

Sāmini- Lord;

This is unfair! Please ask my lord to come home.

Anupallavi

Mōrathōpu Séyaka Muvvagōpālaswāmini

Mōrathōpu– neglect;  

Séyaka – without;

Muvvagōpālaswāmini- the lord Muvvagōpāla;

Tell Lord Muvvagōpāla not to neglect me. Ask him to come.

Charaṇam 1

Aligévāralu Lérō Anthalōne Sammathinchi Kalisevārulérō Kalikirōyippuḍu

Chalapaṭṭi Indhu Rāḍu Chālamrōkkina Vinaḍu Valarājubārikōrva Vaśhamugādhōyamma

Aligévāralu– couples fight;  

Lérō – don’t they? ;

Anthalōne– subsequently;  

Sammathinchi– reconcile & accept;  

Kalisevāru–unite;

Lérō- don’t they?;

Kalikirō- O girl;

ippuḍu-now;

Chalapaṭṭi- adamant;  

Indhu– today;

Rāḍu- won’t come;  

Chālamrōkkina– my prayers;

Vinaḍu – will not hear;

Valarājubārikōrva– Cupid’s arrows;

Vaśhamugādhō- can I withstand?;

Amma-O dear;

All couples fight and they reconcile and unite, Is it not? Now, He is so adamant and he won’t come. He will not hear my prayers; How can I withstand the arrows of Cupid?

Charaṇam 2

Nénaruna Né Nōkkaṭanṭe Nélathāvāḍe Néramu Chési Yanarani Māṭalāḍi Yalainchéné

Vanithā Mōhambudhilō Munigi Yeṭḷōrchudhāna Thanavanṭi Sāmikidhi Thagavu Kādhané Kōmma

Nénaruna– what I think;  

Né Nōkkaṭanṭe – If I say;

Nélathā- what’s there?;

vāḍe-he;

Néramu- time;

Chési – having done so;

Yanarani –words (that shouldn’t be spoken);

Māṭalāḍi– speaks;  

Yalainchéné– annoys me;

Vanithā – young, in adolescence;

Mōhambudhilō– Ocean of affection;  

Munigi – immersed;

Yeṭḷōrchudhāna – somehow I withstood;

Thanavanṭi – like him;

Sāmikidhi- to the Lord;  

Thagavu – right;

Kādhané– not;

Kōmma– friend;

What’s there if I say what I think? At right time, He says those words that should not be spoken and annoys me. When I was young, somehow I could withstand all those things. It is not right for such a Lord to neglect me like this. Ask him to come.

Charaṇam 3

Mamathathō Chinnanāḍe Macchika Chési Nannu Samarathula Nélinaṭṭichanavuna Nénu

Gamakinchi Mōvipanṭa Ganthijésithinani Ramaṇi Muvvagōpāluḍu Rākaparāku Jéséné

Mamathathō – in Love;

Chinnanāḍe– since younger days;

Macchika- allured;

Chési – having done so;

Nannu- me;

Samarathula– into love sports;

Nélinaṭṭichanavuna- for favors that he did for me;

Nénu– I;

Gamakinchi– snatched a moment;

Mōvipanṭa– kissed his lips; 

Ganthijésithinani– made a dent on his lips;

Ramaṇi– O’ woman;

Muvvagōpāluḍu- Muvvagōpāla

Rākaparāku – indifferent;

Jéséné- he became;

On having allured me into love sports since my younger days, and for all the favors he did for me, I snatched a moment to leave a dent mark on his lips by kissing him. For that, Muvvagōpāla

Rāga: Sahāna

Thāḷa: Miśhrachāpu

Composer: Sāraṅgapāṇi

Language:Thelugu

Meanings - Word by word: Team Ambalam

Meanings – Overall: Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi: -

Mogadōchi Pilachéḍu Pōyi Vatthunā
Prīthi Marava Kundhura Nā Sāmi

Anupallavi –

Sogasugāda Nādhu Suguṇa Veṇugōpāla
Bālyamandhu Boṭṭu Gaṭṭina Sāmi

Charaṇam

Bhānu Padhmamu Vala Dhūramundinanémi
Nī Pādha Mandhe Nā Chitthamu
Nī Dhyānamu Véruléka Nīve Dhaivamani
Dhalachi Yundi Dhhairyamu Viduvanu

Meaning:

Pallavi: -

Mogadōchi Pilachéḍu Pōyi Vaddhunā
Prīthi Marava Kundhu Nā Sāmi

Mogadōchi – my husband;

Pilachéḍu- is calling me;

Pōyi  Vatthunā –Shall I go?

Prīthi-love;

Maravakundhu –don’t forget;

Nā –my;

Sāmi-lord,god;

My husband is calling me; shall I go? Please do not forget my love, my Lord.

Anupallavi –

Sogasugāda Nādhu Suguṇa Veṇugōpāla
Bālyamandhu Boṭṭu Gaṭṭina Sāmi

Sogasugāda -charming;

Nādhu-my;

Suguṇa-virtuous;

Veṇugōpāla-name of Kriṣhṇa
Bālyamandhu- in my childhood;

Boṭṭu –the sacred symbol of marriage;

Gaṭṭina – having tied it around;

Sāmi-lord,god;

O charming one, my virtuous Veṇugōpāla! O Lord who married me in or childhood!

Charaṇam

Bhānu Padhmamuvale Dhūramundhina Némi
Nī Pādha Mandhe Nā Chitthamu
Nī Dhyānamu Véruléka Nīve Dhaivamani
Dhalachi Yundhi Dhhairyamu Vidhuvanu

Bhānu- the sun;

Padhmamu– like the lotus;

Vala Dhūramu – very far

undhina Némi- so what if;
Nī –your;

Pādha-feet;

Mandhe –placing;

Nā chitthamu – my mind
Nī Dhyānamu- thinking of you;

Véruléka- is no one else;

Nīve –you;

Dhaivamu yani- are the lord, god; thinking
Dhalachi Yundanu –  remember;

Gāni – because of which

Dhhairyamu –courage;

Viduvanu- will not leave;

Like the sun and the lotus, so what even if there is distance? That I seek refuge in your feet,
that nothing excepting your thought is good, that you are the Lord, is what am remembering; I shall not let go of my courage.