భగవంతా నాకేం చింత అంటే, పొద్దున లేస్తే పొట్టదే చింత.

bhagavanta nakem chinta ante, podduna leste pottade chinta.

Translation

Oh God, if you ask what my worry is, it is the worry of the stomach as soon as I wake up.

Meaning

This proverb expresses the struggle of common people for whom daily survival and filling their belly is the primary concern above all else. It is used to describe a state of poverty or a situation where basic necessities take priority over higher thoughts or luxuries.

Related Phrases

Worry about food is a great worry.

This proverb highlights that basic survival and the struggle for sustenance are the most significant and constant burdens a person can face. It emphasizes that hunger or the lack of resources to eat outweighs all other worldly concerns.

One quilt below, one quilt above; what worry do I have?

This proverb describes a state of complete contentment and self-sufficiency with minimal possessions. It is used to express that when a person's basic needs are met and they have a simple life, they are free from the anxieties and stresses that come with wealth or complex responsibilities.

All of it is just a hole/gap

This expression is used to describe a situation where there is a total loss, or when something is completely hollow, empty, or useless despite appearances. It implies that everything has gone down the drain or that the entirety of a matter results in nothingness.

No matter how early you wake up, the sun always rises by the time you reach Chintaguntapalem.

This proverb describes a situation where despite early preparation or hard work, certain systemic obstacles or unavoidable delays lead to the same result. It is used to express frustration when efforts to get ahead are neutralized by circumstances beyond one's control.

The tamarind may be dried, but it loses not its acidity. Retaining vigour of mind though weakened in body.

This proverb is used to describe a person who has lost their wealth, status, or power but still retains their old ego, arrogance, or habits. Just as the acidic quality remains in tamarind even after it dries up, some people refuse to change their stubborn nature despite a change in their circumstances.

O Lord of Rama, O Lord of Sita, as soon as I wake up, the stomach is the only concern.

This is a humorous and realistic expression used to describe the daily struggle for livelihood. It suggests that no matter how much one prays or thinks of higher things, the immediate priority upon waking up is finding a way to fill one's stomach (earning a living). It is often used to comment on the practical necessities of life that take precedence over spiritual or idealistic pursuits.

The growth of the tamarind and the burgrass. The tamarind grows slowly, the Chigirinta ( Panicum Verticillatum ) shoots up very rapidly and soon withers.

This expression describes something that starts small or thin but grows rapidly and extensively, much like the delicate-looking but fast-growing tamarind shoots. It is often used to refer to a person who was once thin or small but has suddenly grown tall or become very active and successful.

Slow and sure.

Tamarind sprouts as much as its growth.

This proverb is used to describe something that is growing or expanding rapidly. It is often applied to people who have suddenly gained wealth, influence, or physical height, or to situations where a small beginning has quickly led to significant development.

A relation and rain coming in the morning don't stay.

This proverb highlights the transient nature of certain events. Just as morning rain usually clears up quickly to make way for the day, a guest who arrives early in the morning is often expected to complete their business and leave by evening. It is used to suggest that things starting early often finish early.

"No matter" said one, "Then if there's no tamarind, there's no acid" said the other. There is here a pun upon the word Chinta which means both "thought, sorrow" and also "tamarinds."

This is a pun on the Telugu word 'Chinta' which means both 'worry' and 'tamarind'. It is used humorously to describe a situation where someone says they have no worries, but in reality, they are missing a basic necessity or the very thing that gives life flavor. It highlights that being completely free of 'concerns' might sometimes mean lacking something essential.