దాతలు లేక గాదు, మాకు వ్రాత లేక

datalu leka gadu, maku vrata leka

Translation

It's not that there are no donors, it's that we don't have the fate written for it.

Meaning

This proverb is used to express that even when help or resources are available, one may not receive them due to their own poor luck or destiny. It highlights the belief that one's fate (vratha) is the ultimate decider of what they receive, regardless of the generosity of others.

Related Phrases

It is not about the dog being unable to cross, but the struggle of not being able to pull itself out.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is not struggling with the primary obstacle itself, but rather with the consequences or the difficult cleanup required after taking a certain action. It highlights that sometimes the aftermath of a task is more burdensome than the task itself.

If you have no common food, [give me] the best; if you have no common cloth, [give me] a silk one.

This is a sarcastic expression used to describe someone who, when they lack basic necessities, demands or expects high-end luxuries instead of seeking practical alternatives. It highlights the irony of having extravagant tastes or unrealistic expectations while being in a state of poverty or deprivation.

Said by an impertinent beggar when refused assistance by a stingy person.

Taking up folk theater (Bagotam) because one cannot make a living otherwise.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone takes up a profession or a specific task out of sheer necessity or desperation rather than choice or passion. It implies that a person is doing something beneath their dignity or unusual just to survive when all other options have failed.

Is the fate of Sitâ to be common to all ? Sitâ the wife of Râma suffered much during the greater part of her life.

This expression is used to describe an unnecessary repetition of a task or providing a long-winded explanation for something that is already obvious. It highlights the absurdity of repeating the same action or information in different contexts where it is not required.

A deer is caught not because it lacks legs, but because its time is up.

This expression emphasizes that everything happens according to fate or timing. Even a swift and agile creature like a deer can be caught when the circumstances are right or its time has come. It is used to suggest that skill or speed cannot overcome destiny or a bad phase in one's life.

While the one who has nothing cries because he lacks, the one who has everything suffers because he cannot eat it.

This proverb highlights that both poverty and wealth come with their own sets of problems. While a poor person suffers from deprivation, a rich person may suffer from health issues, greed, or the inability to enjoy their abundance. It is often used to describe situations where everyone has a grievance, regardless of their status.

While the poor man cried because he had nothing, the rich man cried because he couldn't eat.

This proverb highlights the irony of human suffering. While one person suffers from lack of resources, another suffers from excess or health problems that prevent them from enjoying what they have. It is often used to comment on how everyone has their own set of unique problems regardless of their status.

"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.

People die because their lifespan has ended, not because of a lack of medicine.

This proverb highlights the belief in destiny and the limits of medical science. It suggests that when a person's time is up according to fate (Ayushu), no amount of medicine or treatment can save them. It is often used to provide comfort during bereavement or to explain why treatments fail despite the best medical efforts.

Should what was written for Sita be written for the whole world?

This expression is used to describe an extremely slow or tedious writer. It implies that the person is taking so much time to write a simple letter or note that it feels as if they are documenting the history of an entire region (Seema). It is used to mock someone's inefficiency or unnecessary delay in completing a simple writing task.