చచ్చే కాలానికి సత్యభామ వేషం వేసినట్టు.

chachche kalaniki satyabhama vesham vesinattu.

Translation

Like playing the role of Satyabhama during one's dying days.

Meaning

This proverb describes someone starting a new, demanding, or flamboyant venture at an inappropriate time, particularly when they are nearing the end of their career or life. It is used to mock people who attempt tasks that no longer suit their age, health, or circumstances.

Related Phrases

When good times are meant to come, a son who can already walk is born.

This proverb is used to describe a stroke of extreme good luck or serendipity. It implies that when fortune favors someone, everything falls into place effortlessly and benefits arrive in a ready-to-use or advanced state, surpassing normal expectations.

To ruin whom are you disguised as a Jangam? . Said to an impostor.

This expression is used to question someone's true intentions when they are acting deceptively or pretending to be someone they are not. It implies that the person has put on a 'mask' or a fake persona specifically to cheat, betray, or cause significant loss (ruining the 'homestead') to another person.

Like donning the role of Satyabhama at the time of death

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone attempts a grand, elaborate, or vanity-driven task at a stage when it is either too late or completely inappropriate given their circumstances. It refers to misplaced priorities or trying to maintain appearances when facing a crisis or end.

Like hoisting a flag (or placing a turban) in a fort.

This expression is used to describe achieving a significant victory, establishing control over a difficult territory, or successfully securing a position in a place that seemed hard to reach. It signifies a major milestone or a successful 'conquest' in a professional or personal context.

Puberty gifts at the time of death.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone receives or attempts something useless or inappropriate for their current stage or condition. It refers to gifts given during a girl's puberty ceremony (samarta), which are completely meaningless or ill-timed when one is facing death or an end of an era.

If put on the finger it goes to the toe, and if put on the toe it goes to the finger.

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely manipulative, inconsistent, or shifty in their speech. It refers to someone who changes their story or logic constantly to suit their convenience, making it impossible to pin them down to a single fact or commitment.

Like placing a ladder to the sky

This expression is used to describe an impossible task or highly unrealistic and overambitious plans. It refers to a person having 'lofty' ideas or goals that are practically unattainable, similar to the English idiom 'reaching for the stars' but often with a connotation of futility or sarcasm.

He said he would die just once after dressing up as Satyabhama.

This expression is used to describe a person who is obsessed with a particular desire or goal to an extreme or irrational degree, often ignoring practical consequences just to satisfy a long-held whim or to experience a moment of glory.

No matter what costume you put on a dog, it will not stop barking.

This proverb suggests that a person's true nature or inherent character cannot be hidden or changed, no matter how much they try to mask it with external appearances or status. It is used to describe situations where someone eventually reveals their true (often negative) traits despite attempts to behave differently.

Like building ladders to heaven

This expression is used to describe an impossible, overly ambitious, or highly impractical task. It refers to a person having grand ideas or making plans that are far beyond their actual reach or capability.