ఆ మాట అనిపిద్దామా మామగారా?

a mata anipiddama mamagara?

Translation

Shall we have that word said ? O father-in-law! When a Kômaṭi was dying and the word "Nârâyana" had to be pro- nounced in his ears, all his relations tried to shirk this disagreeable duty. The allusion in the proverb is to a proposal made by one of them that the task should be imposed upon the oldest man present.

Meaning

This is a popular idiom or sarcastic expression used to highlight a situation where someone is inviting criticism or stating the obvious in a way that would make others talk negatively. It is often used to question if one should proceed with an action that will inevitably lead to a predictable, often shameful, reputation or consequence.

Related Phrases

When the father-in-law said 'The patch is not visible, son-in-law', the son-in-law replied 'The furnace is not visible, father-in-law'.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where two people are equally matched in their cunning, wit, or flaws. It illustrates a 'tit-for-tat' scenario where one person tries to point out a subtle mistake or hide something, only for the other person to point out an even bigger or equally relevant issue. It signifies that one cannot easily fool someone who is just as smart or experienced as they are.

When she said " I salute you, O blind father-in-law!" he re- plied " Is this the commencement of strife ? O adulterous daughter-in-law!"

This proverb describes a situation where someone with a guilty conscience or an inferiority complex misinterprets a simple, respectful gesture or a factual observation as an insult. The father-in-law is sensitive about his blindness, so even a respectful greeting that acknowledges his state is taken as an offensive provocation.

Let him that has a glass skull not take to stone throwing. ( Italian. )*

However much you talk, I won't give up eating with my maternal uncle. Said by a woman who had been brought up from childhood by her uncle. Force of habit. Continuance becomes usage. (Italian.)

This proverb is used to describe a person who listens to all advice or criticism but refuses to change their behavior or give up a specific benefit they are enjoying. It highlights stubbornness or a calculated refusal to let go of an advantage despite what others say.

If you go to mother's childhood home, is it not the maternal uncle's house?

This expression is used to describe a situation where one is stating the obvious or providing information that the listener already knows. It highlights a redundant question or an redundant explanation of a self-evident fact, as a mother's birthplace is naturally the house of the maternal uncle.

O mother-in-law, should you accuse me and bring a reproach on yourself in return ?

This expression is used sarcastically or ironically when someone tries to cover up their obvious mistakes or bad behavior by pretending to be concerned about their reputation. It originates from a folk story where a daughter-in-law behaves poorly and then asks if she deserves the bad name she is getting, highlighting hypocrisy.

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

When asked for a handful of food (alms), she replied, 'Didn't you see my husband?'

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone gives an irrelevant or evasive answer to a simple request to avoid helping. It mocks the behavior of someone making excuses by pointing to another person (usually a spouse or authority figure) as the reason for their inability or refusal to act.

Shall we make them say that too, father-in-law?

This expression refers to a situation where a person, having already faced criticism or insults, continues to act recklessly or foolishly, inviting even more public humiliation. It is used to mock someone who doesn't know when to stop and is about to bring more shame upon themselves.

Is it out of interest, or just because it's father-in-law's death anniversary?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone performs a task without genuine interest or devotion, but merely out of compulsion or because they have no other choice. It highlights the difference between doing something with a 'willing heart' (Manasu) versus doing it as a 'mandatory ritual' (Taddinam).

A Tamil mother-in-law and a Prathama-shakha father-in-law.

This proverb is used to describe a household or a situation where things are extremely difficult or unmanageable due to the conflicting or difficult temperaments of the people involved. Historically, in a specific social context, these two groups were stereotyped as being particularly strict or hard to deal with, and their combination in one house was considered a recipe for domestic misery.

An ulcer on the buttock and the maternal uncle is the doctor; an ulcer on the private part and the father-in-law is the doctor.

This proverb describes a situation of extreme embarrassment and awkwardness where one is forced to discuss or show a private, shameful problem to a relative with whom such intimacy is culturally inappropriate or taboo. It is used to highlight situations involving great hesitation and the inability to seek help due to the delicate nature of the relationship.