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

Definition

The tripadi consists of three lines, each differing from the others in the number of feet and moras (Sanskrit matras),^[1] 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.^[1]
• The 6th and 10th feet of the tripadi are each required to have the metrical pattern of a Brahma foot:

${\displaystyle -\smile \ \mathrm {or} \ \smile \smile \smile \ \mathrm {or} \ --\ \mathrm {or} \ \smile \smile -\ \ }$

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

• The remaining feet have either 5 moras or 4, chosen to satisfy the rules of Nagavarma II:^[1]

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.

Metrical structure

An example, of a possible scansion (metrical structure) of a tripadi, is given in (Kittel 1875, p. 98), where it is also stressed that it is not the form of the moras, but the number that is important. (Here * denotes a caesura)

${\displaystyle \overbrace {\smile \smile \smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot1} }|\overbrace {\smile \smile \smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot2} }\star \overbrace {\smile \smile \smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot3} }|\overbrace {-\smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot4} ))$ (Line 1: 20 moras in 4 feet)

${\displaystyle \overbrace {\smile \smile \smile \smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot5} }|\overbrace {\underbrace {--} _{\mathrm {Brahma} )) ^{\mathrm {FootVI} }|\overbrace {\smile \smile \smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot7} }|\overbrace {\smile \smile \smile \smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot8} ))$ (Line 2: 17 moras in 4 feet)

${\displaystyle \overbrace {\smile \smile \smile \smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot9} }|\overbrace {\underbrace {--} _{\mathrm {Brahma} )) ^{\mathrm {FootX} }|\overbrace {\smile \smile \smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot11} }||}$ (Line 3: 13 moras in 3 feet)

Another example (Kittel 1875, p. 99) is:

${\displaystyle \overbrace {\smile \smile -\smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot1} }|\overbrace {--\smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot2} }\star \overbrace {\smile \smile -\smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot3} }|\overbrace {-\smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot4} ))$ (Line 1: 20 moras in 4 feet)

${\displaystyle \overbrace {\smile \smile \smile \smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot5} }|\overbrace {\underbrace {-\smile } _{\mathrm {Brahma} )) ^{\mathrm {FootVI} }|\overbrace {\smile \smile -\smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot7} }|\overbrace {-\smile \smile \smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot8} ))$ (Line 2: 17 moras in 4 feet)

${\displaystyle \overbrace {\smile \smile -\smile } ^{\mathrm {Foot9} }|\overbrace {\underbrace {-\smile } _{\mathrm {Brahma} )) ^{\mathrm {FootX} }|\overbrace {\smile \smile \smile -} ^{\mathrm {Foot11} }||}$ (Line 3: 13 moras in 3 feet)

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):

Sādhuge^1a Sādhu^1b mādhuryange^1c mādhuryam^1d |
bādhippa^1e kalige^2a kaliyuga^2b viparītan^2b |
mādhavan^2c ītan^2d peran^2e alla^2f ||

The literal translation of the tripadi is:^[2]

To the good people,^1a good;^1b to the sweet,^1c sweetness;^1d |
causing distress^1e to the kali age,^2a an exceptional man in Kaliyuga,^2b |
Madhava (or Vishnu)^2c this man,^2d another^2e is not^2f||