Tripadi

 ( Kannada Literature ) 

Tripadi (Kannada, lit. tri: three, pad or "adi": feet) is a native metre in the Kannada language dating back to c. 700 CE.

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Definition The tripadi consists of three lines, each differing from the others in the number of feet and moras (Sanskrit matras),, but in accordance with the following rules:

• The first line has 4 feet, each with 5 moras, and a caesura at the end of the second foot.
• The 6th and 10th feet of the tripadi are each required to have the metrical pattern of a Brahma foot:

$-\backslash smile\; \backslash \; \backslash mathrm\{or\}\; \backslash \; \backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile\; \backslash \; \backslash mathrm\{or\}\; \backslash \; --\; \backslash \; \backslash mathrm\{or\}\; \backslash \; \backslash smile\backslash smile-\; \backslash \; \backslash$

where $\backslash smile$ (breve) denotes a short syllable, and $-$ (macron) a long one.

• The remaining feet have either 5 moras or 4, chosen to satisfy the rules of Nagavarma II:

Line 1 20 moras in four feet
Line 2 17 moras in four feet
Line 3 13 moras in three feet.

• There is alliteration of the second letter of each line.

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Metrical structure An example, of a possible scansion (metrical structure) of a tripadi, is given in , where it is also stressed that it is not the form of the moras, but the number that is important. (Here * denotes a caesura)

$\backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\; \backslash smile\; \backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 1\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 2\}\}\; \backslash star\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 3\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{-\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 4\}\}$ (Line 1: 20 moras in 4 feet)

$\backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\; \backslash smile\; \backslash smile\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 5\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash underbrace\{--\}\_\{\backslash mathrm\{Brahma\}\}\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; VI\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 7\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 8\}\}$ (Line 2: 17 moras in 4 feet)

$\backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\; \backslash smile\; \backslash smile\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 9\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash underbrace\{--\}\_\{\backslash mathrm\{Brahma\}\}\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; X\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 11\}\}\; ||$ (Line 3: 13 moras in 3 feet)

Another example is:

$\backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\; \backslash smile-\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 1\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{--\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 2\}\}\; \backslash star\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile-\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 3\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{-\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 4\}\}$ (Line 1: 20 moras in 4 feet)

$\backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\; \backslash smile\; \backslash smile\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 5\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash underbrace\{-\backslash smile\}\_\{\backslash mathrm\{Brahma\}\}\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; VI\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile-\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 7\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{-\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 8\}\}$ (Line 2: 17 moras in 4 feet)

$\backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\; \backslash smile\; -\backslash smile\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 9\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash underbrace\{-\backslash smile\}\_\{\backslash mathrm\{Brahma\}\}\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; X\}\}\; |\; \backslash overbrace\{\backslash smile\backslash smile\backslash smile-\}^\{\backslash mathrm\{Foot\; 11\}\}\; ||$ (Line 3: 13 moras in 3 feet)

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Example A well-known example of the tripadi is the third stanza in the inscription of Kappe Arabhatta (here the symbol | denotes the end of a line, and ||, the end of the tripadi):

The literal translation of the tripadi is:

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See also

• Kannada language
• Kannada literature
• Kannada meter (poetry)

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Notes

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