అప్ప ఆరాటమే గాని బావ బతికే లక్షణం కనపడలేదట

appa aratame gani bava batike lakshanam kanapadaledata

Translation

The sister is anxious, but there are no signs of the brother-in-law surviving.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one person puts in a lot of effort or shows great concern, but the outcome is destined to fail or the situation is beyond repair. It highlights the futility of effort when the core problem is unsolvable.

Related Phrases

When asked, 'Appiga, where are your slippers?', he replied, 'They are not visible in the sky'.

This proverb is used to describe a person who gives completely irrelevant or absurd answers to simple questions, often to evade a topic or due to sheer ignorance/absent-mindedness. It mocks someone looking for things in the most unlikely places or diverting a conversation with nonsense.

When addressed affectionately as brother-in-law, he invited her to bed.

This proverb describes a situation where someone takes undue advantage of friendliness or intimacy. It is used when a person mistakes a polite or affectionate gesture for a weakness and responds with an inappropriate or overstepping demand. It highlights the behavior of individuals who lack boundaries and exploit a relationship's closeness.

Arundhati star is not visible, but the six hundred debt is certainly visible.

This proverb describes a situation where a person is so overwhelmed by financial burdens or practical troubles that they cannot focus on spiritual or auspicious things. In Telugu weddings, looking at the Arundhati star is a sacred tradition; this saying mocks a person who, instead of focusing on the ritual, is distracted by the debt incurred for the wedding.

The sister's show and the brother-in-law's boasting, but not a grain of rice when hungry.

This expression is used to describe a situation where people make a grand display of wealth or status, but lack the basic means to provide actual help or sustenance when needed. It critiques those who maintain a false facade of prosperity while failing to fulfill fundamental needs.

A moment of mind, a moment of illusion

This expression describes a person who is fickle-minded or highly unpredictable. It refers to someone whose thoughts, decisions, or moods change instantly, making it impossible to rely on their word or state of mind for more than a moment.

I can't see the star Arundhati, botheration take it! I can see nothing but a debt of sixty pagodas. Said by a man who had got over head and ears in debt for his marriage, when the priest pointed out the propitious star.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is so overwhelmed by their financial troubles or immediate material problems that they cannot focus on spirituality, beauty, or traditional rituals. 'Arundhati' refers to the star often pointed out during weddings as a symbol of virtue; here, it signifies spiritual or higher pursuits that are ignored due to the crushing weight of debt.

Employment makes the man ; he is a luckless fellow if he lose it.

While the original proverb 'Udyogam Purusha Lakshanam' emphasizes that work/effort defines a person's character and dignity, this extended humorous or sarcastic version suggests that losing one's job or being unemployed is seen as a flaw or a social stigma. It is often used to highlight the societal pressure regarding employment and financial stability.

If Lakshanam is neglected it becomes Avalakshanam.

This expression means that a small flaw or a lapse in character can turn a virtue into a vice. It is used to caution people that maintaining one's good reputation or quality requires consistency, as even a minor deviation can lead to being perceived negatively.

There is a pun here on the word Lakshanam which as a noun signifies the ' rules of classic composition,' and as an adjective ' handsome.'—Ava- lakshanam means ' ugly,' ' deformed.'

The good looking brother-in-law has red mustaches, the ugly brother-in-law has none at all.

This proverb is a sarcastic way of describing a situation where there is no good choice available. It implies that even the 'best' option among the lot is flawed or mediocre, while the 'worst' option is completely devoid of any merit. It is used to mock someone's pretense of quality when even their best attributes are subpar.

The sister's anxiety is in vain; the brother-in-law will not survive.

This proverb describes a situation where despite someone's intense efforts, concern, or desire to save something, the outcome is already inevitable or the situation is beyond repair. It is used to point out that some efforts are futile because the core problem is terminal or unfixable.