బోడిముండకు తలసుళ్ళు వెదకినట్లు

This proverb warns about the potential trouble one might face in specific situations. Standing before an old creditor (to whom you owe money) will lead to awkward demands for repayment and harassment. Similarly, standing in front of a buffalo calf is dangerous as it might impulsively charge or butt you. It is used as a piece of advice to avoid unnecessary confrontations or risky positions.

Historically, in some traditions, widows had their heads shaved. This expression refers to performing a completely futile, useless, or impossible task. It is used to describe someone who is wasting time looking for something that clearly does not exist or engaged in a meaningless investigation.

This is a traditional (and often considered harsh or outdated) proverb used to describe a situation where someone desires or possesses something that is of no use to them, or something they are socially/practically restricted from using. It highlights the irony of having a luxury or beauty that one cannot or should not enjoy according to specific contexts.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone searches far and wide for something they already possess or have easy access to. Since ghee is made from butter, searching for ghee while holding butter is foolish. It highlights human nature of overlooking obvious solutions or resources available to them while seeking them elsewhere.

Similar to ‘the devil citing the scripture’, which suggests that an evildoer may try to justify his evil actions, by cleverly citing the sacred books. It is defending the indefensible.

This expression refers to a situation where someone overthinks or over-investigates a simple matter to such an extent that they lose their sanity or common sense. It is used when excessive scrutiny or unnecessary searching leads to confusion and eventual failure instead of a solution.

This proverb is used to describe a futile or illogical effort. It refers to someone looking for something in a place where it no longer exists, or trying to apply outdated solutions to current situations. It emphasizes that time moves on and things change, so searching in the past for present needs is useless.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone acts too late or starts searching for a solution only after the disaster has already occurred. It highlights a lack of foresight and the futility of being unprepared.

This proverb describes someone who creates a problem or conflict through their own actions and then acts as if they are trying to solve it or mitigate the consequences. It is used to point out the hypocrisy or lack of foresight in a person who causes trouble and then seeks a remedy for the very situation they intentionally started.

This expression is used to describe a futile or impossible task. Just as it is impossible to find footprints or traces of a path in water, it refers to searching for something that leaves no evidence behind or attempting a hopeless endeavor.