అధికారం బంగారు గొలుసుల బందిఖానా
adhikaram bangaru golusula bandikhana
Power is a prison of golden chains
This expression highlights that while holding a position of power or authority may seem prestigious and valuable (like gold), it comes with heavy responsibilities, lack of personal freedom, and constant restrictions that make it feel like a prison.
Related Phrases
పందికొక్కు మీద బండికల్లు
pandikokku mida bandikallu
A cartwheel on a bandicoot
This expression is used to describe a situation where a punishment, burden, or consequence is excessively heavy or disproportionate to the size or capacity of the subject. It signifies overkill or an overwhelming force applied to a relatively small target.
మన్ను పెట్టితే బంగారము, బంగారము పెట్టితే మన్ను.
mannu pettite bangaramu, bangaramu pettite mannu.
You get gold out of earth and earth out of gold. i. e. you buy land with money.
This proverb highlights the unpredictable nature of luck and timing. It suggests that when one is going through a fortunate period, even a worthless effort (mud) turns into wealth (gold), but during an unfortunate period, even a valuable investment (gold) can turn into a loss (mud). It is often used to describe the irony of success and failure.
మగపిల్లాడు బంగారు పుల్ల
magapilladu bangaru pulla
A male child is a golden twig.
This traditional expression reflects the deep-rooted cultural preference for male children in certain societies, suggesting that a son is as precious and valuable as a piece of gold. It is often used to emphasize the importance of a male heir in a family lineage.
బంగారు గాలానికే బంగారు చేపలు పడవు
bangaru galanike bangaru chepalu padavu
Golden hooks do not necessarily catch golden fish.
This expression means that using expensive or high-quality tools does not always guarantee a superior or successful outcome. It highlights that merit, skill, or luck often matter more than the outward appearance or cost of the resources used. It is used to caution against the belief that money alone can buy success.
బలుసు పండితే గొలుసుల్లా కంకులు
balusu pandite golusulla kankulu
If the Balusu plant ripens, the ears of grain will be like chains.
This is an agricultural proverb used to describe a bountiful harvest. It suggests that when the wild Balusu plant thrives and ripens well, it serves as a natural indicator that the grain crops (like millet or paddy) will also be extremely productive, with ears of grain hanging thick and long like heavy chains.
ఆడది లక్ష్మీ దేవి, మగవాడు బంగారం
adadi lakshmi devi, magavadu bangaram
Woman is Goddess Lakshmi, man is gold
This expression highlights the traditional roles and values in a family. It suggests that a woman brings prosperity and grace (like the Goddess Lakshmi) to a home, while the man represents the wealth and strength (like gold) that provides security. It is often used to emphasize the importance of both genders in maintaining a balanced household.
ఇంటదానికి ఇత్తడి గొలుసు, బజారుదానికి బంగారు గొలుసు
intadaniki ittadi golusu, bajarudaniki bangaru golusu
A brass chain for the wife at home, and a gold chain for the woman in the street.
This proverb is used to criticize someone who neglects or mistreats their own family or those close to them while showing excessive generosity or kindness to outsiders and strangers to gain social prestige or out of misplaced priorities.
మన్ను పట్టితే బంగారం, బంగారం పట్టితే మన్ను
mannu pattite bangaram, bangaram pattite mannu
Touching mud turns it into gold, touching gold turns it into mud
This proverb describes the extremes of luck or fortune. It refers to a person's current 'luck streak'—when someone is highly successful, even their smallest efforts (mud) yield great results (gold). Conversely, when someone is going through a period of extreme misfortune, even their most valuable assets or best efforts fail miserably.
బంగారం పడితే మన్ను, మన్ను పడితే బంగారం అయినట్లు
bangaram padite mannu, mannu padite bangaram ayinatlu
Like gold turning into mud and mud turning into gold.
This expression describes the volatility of luck or fortune. It refers to a situation where a person with bad luck can turn a valuable opportunity (gold) into a failure (mud), while a person with good luck or skill can turn even a worthless thing into something precious.
సింగారం చూడరా బంగారు మొగుడా?
singaram chudara bangaru moguda?
Look at my finery/makeup, O golden husband!
This is a sarcastic expression used to describe a person who tries to hide their incompetence, flaws, or failures by putting on a showy exterior or focusing on superficial appearances. It originates from a folk story where a woman uses elaborate dressing as a distraction from her lack of skill or a mistake she made.