Pahi Rama Prabho

Overview

"Pahi Rama Prabho" is a Telugu keertana composed by Bhadrachala Ramadasu (Kancherla Gopanna), the same 17th-century devotee-composer behind "Paluke Bangaramayena." It is structured as an extended, urgent plea for Rama's protection and grace — pāhi means "protect/save" — with the refrain repeating throughout, punctuated by verses praising Rama's beauty, compassion, and role as universal parent and protector. The full keertana is quite long, with some sources listing 60 or more paired verses and noticeable textual variation between manuscripts; this file covers the verified pallavi and first four charanams.

Raga & Tala

• Raga: Ananda Bhairavi — the same raga as "Paluke Bangaramayena," fitting for a composition steeped in longing and appeal.
• Tala: Ata tala
• Character: Ananda Bhairavi carries a strong karuna (compassion) and viraha (longing) rasa, well suited to a keertana that is essentially one long cry for rescue and mercy.

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Pallavi

పాహి రామప్రభో పాహి రామప్రభో పాహి భద్రాద్రి వైదేహి రామప్రభో

pāhi rāmaprabhō pāhi rāmaprabhō pāhi bhadrādri vaidēhi rāmaprabhō

Meaning: Protect me, O Lord Rama! Protect me, O Lord Rama! Protect me, O Rama of Bhadradri, husband of Vaidehi (Sita)!

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Charanam 1

ఇందిరా హృదయారవిందాధి రూఢ సుందరాకార నానంద రామప్రభో

indirā hṛdayāravindādhi rūḍha sundarākāra nānanda rāmaprabhō

Meaning: O one enthroned upon the lotus of Indira's (Lakshmi's) heart, of beautiful form, ever blissful, O Lord Rama.

ఎందునే చూడ మీ సుందరానందము కందునో కన్నులింపొంద శ్యామప్రభో

endunē cūḍa mī sundarānandamu kandunō kannul-imponda śyāmaprabhō

Meaning: Wherever I turn my gaze, may my eyes have the fortune to find and delight in your beautiful, blissful form, O dark-hued Lord (Shyama).

Charanam 2

బృందారకాది బృందార్చిత పదార విందముల సందర్షితానంద రామప్రభో

bṛndārakādi bṛndārcita padāravindamula sandarśitānanda rāmaprabhō

Meaning: O one whose lotus feet are worshipped by hosts of gods and celestial beings, whose very sight bestows bliss, O Lord Rama.

తల్లివి నీవె మా తండ్రివి నీవె మా దాతవు నీవు మా భ్రాత రామప్రభో

talli-vi nīve mā taṇḍri-vi nīve mā dātavu nīvu mā bhrāta rāmaprabhō

Meaning: You alone are our mother; you alone are our father; you are our benefactor, and you are our brother, O Lord Rama.

Charanam 3

శ్రీ రామరామేతి శ్రేష్ఠ మంత్రము సారె సారె కును వింతగా చదువు రామప్రభో

śrī rāma-rāmēti śrēṣṭha mantramu sāre sāre kunu vintagā caduvu rāmaprabhō

Meaning: The excellent mantra "Sri Rama, Rama" — again and again, with wonder, I recite it, O Lord Rama.

శ్రీ రామ నీ నామ చింతనామృత పాన సారమే నాదు మది గోరు రామప్రభో

śrī rāma nī nāma cintanāmṛta pāna sāramē nādu madi gōru rāmaprabhō

Meaning: O Sri Rama, the very essence of drinking the nectar of contemplation upon your name — that alone is what my heart desires, O Lord Rama.

Charanam 4

పాహి శ్రీ రామ నీ పాద పద్మాశ్రయుల పాలింపుమా భద్రశైల రామప్రభో

pāhi śrī rāma nī pāda padmāśrayula pālimpumā bhadraśaila rāmaprabhō

Meaning: Protect, O Sri Rama, those who take refuge at your lotus feet — please govern and guard them, O Rama of the Bhadrachala hill.

పాహి రామప్రభో పాహి రామప్రభో పాహి భద్రాద్రి వైదేహి రామప్రభో

(the pallavi repeats here, closing this section)

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Note: this covers the pallavi and charanams 1–4 of a much longer keertana. The remaining verses can be added later if wanted, though textual variation across manuscript sources is more pronounced for this composition than for the shorter stotras and ashtakams covered earlier.