Dani Samajendra Varnam, ragam Todi, lyrics and translation

Being a morning raga, Todi may symbolize the light coming after darkness, and hope after despair. Despair, in fact, is the mood of the heroine of the varnam, who misses her beloved Padmanabha. Perhaps, the darkest night hours, before the light breaks, symbolize the madness, portrayed by Swathi Tirunal through an array of metaphors. For example, the damsel addresses her friend as the one with the gait of a mad elephant.  A very common compliment in old time (elephants during the mating season walk very seductively), is explored even deeper in the traditional mohiniyattam choreography in Kalamandalam. The mudra sequence symbolizes the explosion of brain of the elephant and the celebral fluids streaming down. This epithet marks the heaviness of the obsessive sentiments the heroine is going through in the varnam. She cannot get over her obsession, which she believes, is induced by the arrows of Kamadeva, and starts an eccentric act of regression by applying lotus stems and petals all over her body, which perhaps cool down her heat or remind her of the touch of her beloved.

The Varnam was written inSwarakshara prayoga, which means that the swara letters corresponded with the  first letter of the words used in lyrics.

Varnam (Danismajendra)

Composer and lyricist Swathi Thirunal

language Sansrit

Talam Adi

Ragam Todi

Pallavi

Dani Samajendra Gamini II

Tapam iha Kamini II

Anupallavi

Manini sukha dani II

Madumasa charu dinani II

MAnaniya shri Padmanabha II

Dutani mamtu mokhani II

Chitta Swaram

D , n D n ṡ N, ṙ  ṡ n d n I Ṡ ; ; , ṙ ṡ ṡ nn dd pm II

Damadadi vinirjita vidita I sarasa vishika manupama I ……..

P d n – p d m p g – m p d p- d n ṣ ṛ I

Padanin patadhakhila vibuda manurajani I

n ṙ Ṡ n d n D p m d p G m II

manasanu kalayami madhupaveni II Dani……..

Charanam

Ganaparaniha alikulani II

1.    G ; r A; ṇ Ḍ , Ṇ , I S ; ; Ḍ G R , N r II

Gadasanwaya pi I ko pivitapini II Gana ……

2.    G , m  g g r s R, g r r s ṇ I S, r s s  ṇ ṇ Ḍ , P̣ ḍ ṇ s r II …….

Gama laghu Sapura patira krita I

Ya mahaha bahuda hridilagati II

Gana ……..

3.    P , d pm M, p m g G, m I g r R, g r s Ṇ, r s ṇ ḍ ṇ II ……..

Patu mayima sumashara I

Sugapari patina nee rasa drutapi II

S ;;; ḍ ṇ Ḍ - n s Ṇ I s ṇ S – r s R – g r G – m G m II …….

Sa mupadanita bahu la I

Ta madhuna tamrutema II

P d n p d m p g – m p d p-d n ṡ ṙ I

ṡ ṡ nd- N d p m- G r s ṇ - Ḍ ṇ s r  II

hani hana hini hiki maparama pashuta masuradu nee[atima panidimrute vishari II Gana …..

4.    Ṡ ;; n d p m g m p d n I D , p d n D n ṡ D n ṡ ṙ II

Ṡ n d p G, m p m g r S, ṇ I Ḍ ṇ s r G, m g r s ṇ S; II

ḍ n s r- g m p d- p d n ṡ- d n ṡ ṙ I

N, ṡ - D, n – P, d – M, p – g m p d – n ṡ ṙ, II

D n ṡ ṙ - Ġ, ṙ ṡ - Ṙ, Ṡ n – d p d n I

ṡ ṙ ṡ - n ṡ n – d n d – m d m – g m g – r g r – s r s - ṇ s r II

gana ……..

Meaning:

Oh my beautiful friend, with a gait of an elephant mad with desire, I feel sad and restless. Listen to my sorrows, for I am tortured by the arrows of Kamadeva

Spring makes everything so beautiful. Has Lord Padmanabha, forsaken me at this time?

The birds are singing lovely songs from the tree tops and the bees are making the buzzing sound. Yet, I can’t bear this noise, I think only of Him, Padmanabha, the great Lord, worshipped by his devotees.

Kamadeva shoots his arrows, and they make me exhaust me. I take the lotus flower stems and decorate myself with it. Its leaves and petals are my ornaments now. Please tell me, the sweet friend, why hasn’t he come?