అన్నీ ఎరిగినోడు అమావాస్యనాడు చస్తే, ఏమీ ఎరగనోడు ఏకాదశినాడు చచ్చాడట.
anni eriginodu amavasyanadu chaste, emi eraganodu ekadashinadu chachchadata.
If a man who knows everything died on a New Moon day, a man who knows nothing died on Ekadashi.
This proverb is used to mock people who make ironic or illogical comparisons between themselves and others. It specifically satirizes situations where a foolish or ignorant person happens to achieve something (like dying on an auspicious day like Ekadashi) that a wise person did not, or when someone tries to claim superiority through pure coincidence despite their lack of merit.
Related Phrases
వచ్చిన పేరు చచ్చినా పోదు
vachchina peru chachchina podu
The reputation gained will not leave even after death
This expression emphasizes that once a person earns a certain reputation—whether good or bad—it stays with them for life and remains even after they pass away. It is often used to remind someone that their actions have long-lasting consequences on their legacy.
అమావాస్యనాడు పొద్దుకు వంగలు కాచునా!
amavasyanadu podduku vangalu kachuna!
Will eggplants grow just because the sun sets on a new moon day?
This proverb highlights that certain processes take their own natural time and cannot be rushed or expected to happen instantly just because a specific time or event occurs. It is used to mock someone's unrealistic expectations or impatience for results that require gradual effort.
ఏమీ ఎరుగనివాడు ఏకాదశి నాడు చస్తే, అన్నీ తెలిసినవాడు అమావాస్య నాడు చచ్చాడట
emi eruganivadu ekadashi nadu chaste, anni telisinavadu amavasya nadu chachchadata
While the ignorant person died on Ekadashi, the all-knowing person died on Amavasya.
This proverb is used to highlight irony or the unpredictability of fate. In Hindu tradition, dying on Ekadashi is considered auspicious, while Amavasya is often viewed as inauspicious. It mocks situations where someone perceived as simple or foolish achieves a better result or status by chance than someone who is highly knowledgeable but remains unlucky.
దొంగచేయి దోపన బెడితే, అమావాస్యనాడు అల్లల్లాడినట్లు
dongacheyi dopana bedite, amavasyanadu allalladinatlu
When a thief's hand is put into a fire-pit, it flails about on a New Moon day.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone with a guilty conscience or an inherent bad habit becomes extremely restless or reveals their true nature when an opportunity or a specific triggering circumstance arises. It implies that a person's true character cannot be hidden forever and will manifest uncontrollably under certain conditions.
గంగాధరుడు చచ్చినాడు అమ్మా!
gangadharudu chachchinadu amma!
O Madam! Gangâdhara is dead. The story is as follows :—The washerwoman of a certain Queen had a female donkey which was pregnant. The woman vowed to Siva that if the donkey was safely delivered she would call the young one Gangâdhara ( one of the names of Siva, signifying " the receiver of the Ganges" ). The birth took place and the vow was fulfilled, but after a short time the young donkey died. The washerwoman was in great grief, neglected to bring the Queen's clothes, and weeping cried out " Gangâdhara is dead!" The servant sent from the palace, thinking that Gangâdhara must be some impor- tant person, went crying to the Queen. The Queen believing that a relation of the king had died commenced to weep, her whole household joining in her lamentations—the king on enquiring the cause of his consort's grief received the same information that Gangâdhara was dead, whereupon, imagining that he was a relation of the Queen's, he joined in the general howling, in which he was assisted by all his court! When the truth was at last known, all were ashamed.
This is a humorous expression from a famous Telugu folk story (Paramanandayya Sishyula Katha). It is used to describe a situation where someone reveals a 'secret' or a piece of news that everyone already knows, or when someone states the obvious with unnecessary dramatic flair. In the story, the disciples try to hide a death that is already apparent to everyone.
అన్నీ తెలిసిన అత్త అమావాస్యనాడు చచ్చిందట.
anni telisina atta amavasyanadu chachchindata.
The mother-in-law who knew everything died on a New Moon day.
This proverb is used to mock people who claim to be experts or omniscient but fail at basic common sense or fail to account for things they should have known. In Telugu culture, the New Moon (Amavasya) is often considered inauspicious for certain events; the irony here is that despite her 'vast knowledge,' she couldn't even choose an auspicious time or manage her own fate effectively.
చచ్చినోడు చాటడంత, కళ్ళు తక్కెడో బెత్తెడో
chachchinodu chatadanta, kallu takkedo bettedo
The dead man is as wide as a winnowing basket, and his eyes are like weights or measures.
This expression is used to describe the human tendency to exaggerate the virtues, physical traits, or importance of a person only after they have passed away. It highlights how people embellish the truth to make someone seem more significant or grand than they actually were in real life.
ఎప్పుడూ ఎరగనోడు ఏతాము తొక్కితే ఏటా ఆరుబారల అప్పు.
eppudu eraganodu etamu tokkite eta arubarala appu.
If one who has never done it works the water-lift, there will be six cubits of debt every year.
This proverb describes the consequences of an inexperienced person attempting a task they are not qualified for. It signifies that when an unskilled person manages a project or business without the necessary knowledge, they will likely incur losses or cause damage rather than achieving the desired result. It highlights the importance of expertise and experience.
అమావాస్యనాడు అట్టు పెట్టలేదు, పున్నమినాడు బూరె పెట్టలేదు
amavasyanadu attu pettaledu, punnaminadu bure pettaledu
No dosa on the new moon day, and no sweet dumpling on the full moon day.
This expression describes a situation where someone fails to perform their duties or provide basic necessities even on significant or auspicious occasions. It is used to mock someone who is extremely stingy, negligent, or inconsistent in their hospitality and responsibilities.
వచ్చిన వాడు చచ్చినా పోదు.
vachchina vadu chachchina podu.
Calumny is not removed even by death.
This expression is used to describe a deeply ingrained habit, trait, or skill that stays with a person throughout their lifetime. It suggests that once something is learned or becomes part of a person's nature, it is nearly impossible to change or get rid of it.
Slander leaves a slur. Give a dog an ill name, and you may as well hang him.