అరవం అధ్వాన్నం, తెనుగు తేట, కన్నడం కస్తూరి

This is a historical linguistic idiom expressing the perceived clarity and musicality of the Telugu language (compared to 'clear water') in contrast to the complex or harsh phonetics of Tamil. It is used to praise the simplicity and sweetness of Telugu.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely stingy or excessively calculative over trivial matters. It mocks someone who tries to negotiate or find a bargain even when the price is already negligibly low, often missing the bigger picture due to their pettiness.

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.

This is a popular linguistic proverb used to describe the perceived characteristics of South Indian languages. It suggests that Tamil sounds harsh or disorganized (adhwaannam), Telugu is pure and lucid (theta), while Kannada is as sweet and fragrant as musk (kasturi).

This expression is used to describe a situation or an asset (like a business, project, or luxury item) that yields high results or prestige but requires an equally high level of maintenance and expenditure. It signifies that big ventures come with big responsibilities and costs.

This is a humorous and sarcastic proverb describing a person who pretends to surrender everything to a teacher or guru but remains secretly greedy and selfish. It highlights hypocrisy where one claims to give up 'abstract' things like the soul, while keeping physical control over 'tangible' assets like money (the lock to the chest) and physical comforts.

This is a common saying used to point out that it is much easier to give advice or talk about a task than it is to actually execute it. It is the Telugu equivalent of 'easier said than done.'

This proverb is used to describe two people who are equally pretentious or boastful despite having nothing. It mocks a situation where someone makes an unrealistic request and another responds with an even more absurdly grand claim, even though both are actually poor or lack the items mentioned. It is similar to the concept of 'building castles in the air' or mutual delusion.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone asks for help or a basic necessity, but instead of being helped, they are treated cruelly or given something harmful. It highlights the act of adding insult to injury or responding to a genuine plea with a malicious action.

This is a traditional comparative saying (sameta) about South Indian languages. It characterizes Tamil as difficult or rough to understand (adhvannam), Telugu as melodious and clear (theta), and Kannada as fragrant and precious like musk (kasturi). It is often used in cultural discussions to highlight the unique phonetic qualities and perceived 'flavors' of these Dravidian languages.