బందెలో పాయసం కంటే బయట సజ్జరొట్టె మేలు

bandelo payasam kante bayata sajjarotte melu

Translation

Better a pearl millet bread outside than rice pudding in captivity

Meaning

Freedom is more valuable than luxury in bondage. This expression is used to emphasize that a simple, humble life lived independently is far superior to a luxurious life where one's freedom is restricted or compromised.

Related Phrases

What! milk pudding in the house and milk also in the field ?

This proverb is used to criticize someone's greed or unrealistic expectations. It describes a situation where a person wants to enjoy the final luxury (Payasam) while simultaneously demanding the raw resource (milk) it is made from. It points out that one cannot have everything at once or exploit resources at both ends of the process.

Greediness.

Walking causes path-fatigue, and eating causes meal-fatigue for Thimmavadhani.

This expression describes a person who is extremely lazy or finds excuses to avoid any kind of effort. It depicts a character who feels tired not only from physical exertion (walking) but even from the simple act of eating. It is used to mock people who complain about tasks that are either necessary or inherently beneficial.

When asked to apply eye drops (or medicinal milk), she said the pearl millet in the field is ready.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone gives a completely irrelevant or mismatched answer to a specific question. It highlights a lack of communication, poor listening, or an intentional avoidance of the topic at hand.

Sumangali status (being a married woman) is better than ornamentation.

This proverb emphasizes that the essence or the basic state of being (in this context, being a married woman with a living husband) is more valuable than external decorations or fancy clothing. It is used to suggest that substance and core identity are more important than superficial appearances.

Fatigue from eating, exhaustion from walking.

This proverb describes a state of extreme laziness or lack of endurance. It refers to a person who complains of being tired after eating (indigestion/lethargy) and also complains of being tired after walking. It is used to mock people who find an excuse to avoid any form of effort or activity.

When asked to hold the offering (sweet), he asked which task's grain it was.

This proverb describes a person who is so habitually lazy or conditioned to avoiding work that they view even a reward or an easy benefit as a burden or a chore. It is used to mock people who are unnecessarily reluctant even when something good is offered to them.

Speaking of people who are not known, as having distributed rice-milk by baskets full.

This proverb is used to describe an exaggerated or boastful claim made by someone who has never experienced or possessed something before. When people who have been deprived of something finally get it, they often exaggerate its quantity or quality to an unrealistic degree.

Exaggerating the bounty of absent persons.

Kind hospitality is better than the flavor of the food itself.

This proverb emphasizes that how one is treated (with respect and warmth) is more important than the quality of the meal being served. It is used to highlight that heartfelt hospitality and a welcoming attitude hold more value than material offerings or luxury.

A fruit ripened after being plucked. Said of a precocious youth.

This expression is used to describe someone who shows maturity, wisdom, or behaviors far beyond their actual age, often used in the context of a child acting like an adult or being 'precocious'. It can also imply someone who has gained experience or 'ripened' prematurely.

If the mango ripens, the pearl millets will yield.

This is a traditional agricultural proverb used to indicate the correlation between seasons and crop yields. It suggests that a summer with high heat (which ripens mangoes) is usually followed by favorable conditions for harvesting pearl millet (Sajja). It is used to express how nature's cycles are interconnected.