Poverty

This proverb highlights the social reality that people flock towards those who are rich or successful. It suggests that when a person has wealth, even strangers or distant acquaintances try to claim a relationship with them, whereas a poor person is often ignored by their own kin.

This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks basic necessities (like food) but tries to maintain a grand outward appearance or indulges in unnecessary shows of status and extravagance. It highlights the irony of being poor while acting as if one is wealthy or important.

This proverb describes someone who lacks basic necessities at home or in their own life, yet pretends to be wealthy or spends their energy and resources celebrating or interfering in others' affairs. It is used to mock people who ignore their own poverty or problems while putting on a show for the public.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone takes up a profession or a specific task out of sheer necessity or desperation rather than choice or passion. It implies that a person is doing something beneath their dignity or unusual just to survive when all other options have failed.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone has lost everything and has nothing left to do but clap their hands in despair or surrender. It originates from the idea of a person losing their wealth or status and turning to a simple, detached life of chanting or clapping in devotion. In common usage, it signifies total loss, bankruptcy, or reaching a state of helplessness.

This is an agricultural proverb referring to the 'Chitta' and 'Swathi' lunar mansions (kartyas). It signifies that if it does not rain during these specific periods, a severe drought will follow, resulting in such a lack of grain/food that even a tiny ant will find nothing to eat.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone has a high social status or a prestigious title, but in reality, they are performing menial tasks or living in poverty. It highlights the contrast between outward reputation and actual condition.

This proverb describes a situation where someone is forced to accept a bad or mediocre situation because they have no other choice, eventually convincing themselves it is the best place to be. It is used to mock people who settle for poor conditions out of helplessness or lack of ambition.

This proverb describes a situation where a person, instead of helping someone in need, offers a deceptive or ridiculous solution that only benefits themselves. It is used to mock someone who asks for a favor while pretending to offer a 'cure' for the very poverty or hunger they are supposed to be helping with.

This proverb is used to mock people who demand luxuries or higher-level items when even basic necessities are unavailable. It describes a situation where someone is disconnected from reality or is being unnecessarily pretentious despite their poor circumstances.

This proverb describes the harsh reality of social hierarchies, implying that someone who is down on their luck or lacks resources is often looked down upon or disrespected even by those who are considered to be at the bottom of society. It is used to highlight how vulnerability invites mistreatment from everyone.

This expression describes a hand-to-mouth existence or a struggle for basic survival. It implies that everything earned during the day is immediately spent on basic necessities like food (stomach) and clothing, leaving nothing for savings or future planning.

This proverb is used in a sarcastic or cynical sense to describe a situation where someone's personal burden or expansion becomes a collective responsibility or a source of nuisance for others. Since Jangamas traditionally lived on alms, more children meant more people asking the villagers for food and support, ironically framed here as 'employment' or 'work' for the providers.

This proverb highlights that small, incidental efforts or meager savings are insufficient to withstand major crises. It is used to emphasize the importance of substantial planning and large-scale preparation instead of relying on trivial or leftover resources when facing serious difficulties.

This proverb highlights that both poverty and wealth come with their own sets of problems. While a poor person suffers from deprivation, a rich person may suffer from health issues, greed, or the inability to enjoy their abundance. It is often used to describe situations where everyone has a grievance, regardless of their status.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone enjoys a comfortable life due to favorable external circumstances or resources. When those resources are exhausted, they face the harsh reality of survival. It serves as a reminder that true resilience is tested only when easy times end.

This proverb is used to describe an event or situation that goes completely unnoticed or unrecognized by society due to the lack of status or wealth of the person involved. It highlights how the joys or struggles of the underprivileged often remain invisible to the world.

This proverb refers to a person who possesses nothing of value and is therefore immune to being robbed. It is used to describe a situation where someone's extreme poverty or lack of assets serves as their greatest security, as there is nothing for others to take from them.

He that has nothing is frightened at nothing. There is no stripping a naked man. (German.)‡ * For meget og for lidt fordsarver alting. † Nicht zu wenig, nicht zu viel. ‡ Eimen Nackten Arzt man nicht ansehen,

This proverb emphasizes that constant internal conflict, bickering, and lack of harmony lead to poverty and the loss of wealth. It suggests that prosperity cannot reside in a place where people are always at odds with each other.

This proverb describes a situation where one problem or misfortune is immediately followed by another, or where an unwelcome person follows another. It is often used to refer to a cycle of poverty, bad luck, or persistent troubles that refuse to leave. In Hindu mythology, Peddamma (Alakshmi) represents misfortune and Chinnamma follows her, symbolizing that when one hardship arrives, more are likely to follow.