అడ్డెడు తవ్వెడు బియ్యము ఇచ్చి, అమ్మా నీ ప్రసాదము అన్నట్టు
addedu tavvedu biyyamu ichchi, amma ni prasadamu annattu
Like giving [ a cook ] two and a half measures of rice and saying, " Madam, this is your gift." The cook gets four-fifths of the rice for herself, and yet she must be coaxed to cook the food. The allusion is to a traveller endeavouring to get some person to cook for him.
This proverb describes a situation where someone gives a very small or insignificant amount of their own resources to a deity or a person, but then acts as if the subsequent benefit or the entire resulting entity is a grand gift or blessing from that recipient. It is used to mock people who take credit for 'generosity' using things that were already minimal or belong to others, or those who try to claim a large spiritual or social reward for a tiny, trivial contribution.
Related Phrases
నంబి పెట్టినదే ప్రసాదము
nambi pettinade prasadamu
What the priest gives is sacred.
This proverb is used to indicate that when you are dependent on someone or when something is offered by an authority, you must accept it without question or complaint. It suggests that one should be content with what is given in certain situations, similar to how a devotee accepts whatever 'Prasadam' the priest (Nambi) distributes, regardless of its quantity or quality.
దండు వెడదాము అంటే, పండు తిని వెడదాము అన్నట్టు
dandu vedadamu ante, pandu tini vedadamu annattu
When asked to go to war, one replied let's eat a fruit and then go.
This proverb describes a person who is lazy, hesitant, or makes excuses to delay an urgent or difficult task. It highlights the contrast between the seriousness of a situation (preparing for war) and a trivial or self-indulgent delay (eating a fruit).
పిండి బెల్లం ఇచ్చి, పిన్నమ్మా నీ ప్రసాదం అన్నట్లు
pindi bellam ichchi, pinnamma ni prasadam annatlu
Giving the flour and jaggery oneself, and then asking, 'Auntie, where is your blessed offering?'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone provides all the resources and effort for a task, but then acts as if they are receiving a favor or a gift from someone else involved. It highlights false modesty or the irony of someone seeking credit/blessings for something they essentially did themselves.
అడ్డెడు తవ్వెడు బియ్యమిచ్చి, అమ్మా నీప్రసాదమన్నట్లు
addedu tavvedu biyyamichchi, amma niprasadamannatlu
Giving a measure of rice and then asking for it back as a divine offering.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone gives a very small or insignificant contribution but acts as if they are receiving a great favor or blessing in return. It refers to people who try to take credit for something they barely contributed to, or those who expect others to provide for them using the very resources they themselves provided.
పొల్లు దంచి బియ్యము చేసినట్టు.
pollu danchi biyyamu chesinattu.
Like trying to get rice by pounding empty husk.
This proverb describes a futile or useless effort. Just as pounding empty grain husks (chaff) will never yield rice regardless of how much labor is put in, this expression is used when someone is wasting time on a task that has no possibility of a productive outcome.
ఎవరు ఇచ్చినది ఈ మాన్యము అంటే, నేనే ఇచ్చుకున్నాను అన్నాడట.
evaru ichchinadi i manyamu ante, nene ichchukunnanu annadata.
When asked " Who gave you the freehold?" he said " I gave it to myself." Said of one who helps himself without regard to the law of meum and tuum.
This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks legitimate authority or external validation and instead relies on self-proclamations or self-awarded honors. It mocks those who boast about achievements or titles they have unilaterally claimed without any basis in truth or merit.
తనకు అని తవ్వెడు తవుడు ఉంటే, ఆకటి వేళకు ఆరగించవచ్చును
tanaku ani tavvedu tavudu unte, akati velaku araginchavachchunu
If you have even a Tavva ( 1 lb. ) of bran of your own, you can eat it when you are hungry.
This proverb emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and personal savings. It means that even a small amount of resources, if owned by oneself, will be useful and provide relief during difficult times or emergencies. It suggests that having a little of your own is better than depending on others' wealth.
Store is no sore.
కుంచెడు బియ్యము గుమ్మడి కాయ
kunchedu biyyamu gummadi kaya
A Kunçam of raw-rice and a gourd. A modest request. A thousand Brahmins went on an auspicious occasion to bless the king and on being asked how much rice and vegetable they would each have for their meal, replied as above. The king angry and disgusted at their greediness ordered that each should be forced, with the penalty of his life, to eat the whole quantity demanded. The Brahmins however cheated the king at the suggestion of a cunning Kômaṭi, by distributing one Kunçam of rice and one pumpkin at a time among the whole number of men.
This expression is used to describe an uneven or disproportionate exchange, or a situation where a lot of resources are consumed for a single item. In a traditional sense, it refers to the heavy requirement of rice needed to accompany a large pumpkin curry, signifying that one thing necessitates a large amount of another to be useful.
తక్కువవాడికి నిక్కెక్కువ, తవ్వెడు బియ్యానికి పొంగెక్కువ
takkuvavadiki nikkekkuva, tavvedu biyyaniki pongekkuva
A lowly person has more pride; a small measure of rice overflows more when boiled.
This proverb is used to criticize people with limited abilities or status who show excessive arrogance or vanity. It compares their behavior to a small pot of rice that foams over easily, suggesting that true greatness is humble while shallow people boast the most.
వీసము ఇచ్చి వాసానికి వచ్చేవాడు
visamu ichchi vasaniki vachchevadu
One who gives a Visam and expects a Vâsam.
This proverb describes a person who provides a very small or insignificant amount of help (a 'veesamu' was a tiny unit of currency) and expects an exorbitantly large return or attempts to take over a significant asset (the house beam). It is used to caution against opportunistic people who leverage minor favors to gain major control.
— Vâsam is a rafter ; ( the original word has been retained to preserve the jingle . )