దేవుడని మొక్కితే దయ్యమై పట్టుకున్నట్టు

devudani mokkite dayyamai pattukunnattu

Translation

Like praying to someone as a God, only for them to possess you like a ghost.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone seeks help or protection from a person or entity, but instead of receiving help, that person becomes a source of trouble or harassment. It reflects the irony of a perceived savior becoming a tormentor.

Related Phrases

The grip of a ghost is stronger than the grip of God

This expression is used to describe a situation where evil influences, bad habits, or negative forces seem to have a more persistent and stubborn hold on a person or a situation than positive ones. It highlights how difficult it is to get rid of something harmful once it takes hold.

He came to visit as a relative but stayed back like a ghost.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who was initially invited or welcomed as a guest ends up becoming a long-term burden or a persistent nuisance that one cannot get rid of. It highlights the irony of a pleasant visit turning into an unwanted, haunting presence.

When visited thinking they were a relative, they caught hold like a ghost.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where you approach someone out of kindness, goodwill, or a sense of relationship, but they end up becoming a source of trouble, harassment, or a burden. It signifies that a person you expected help or comfort from turned out to be toxic or problematic.

When someone came to visit as a relative, the whole house turned into ghosts and caught them.

This proverb describes a situation where someone approaches another person with a friendly or helpful intention, only to be met with hostility or overwhelmed by the problems and demands of the person they tried to help. It is used when a kind gesture results in unexpected trouble or when people take undue advantage of a guest's presence.

The devils caught him in the place he went to hide in. One ill calls another. (Italian.)

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone, while trying to escape or hide from a small problem or danger, ends up encountering a much bigger or more terrifying trouble. It is similar to the English expression 'out of the frying pan and into the fire.'

Like praying to a deity, only for it to possess you like a ghost.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone seeks help or protection from a person or entity, but instead of receiving help, that very person or entity becomes a source of trouble or misery. It is similar to the concept of a 'blessing becoming a curse' or a savior turning into an oppressor.

Like Vasudeva going and holding the feet of a donkey

This expression refers to a situation where a person of high stature or capability is forced by desperate circumstances to seek help from someone much inferior or unworthy. It originates from the story of Krishna's birth, where his father Vasudeva, in a moment of extreme crisis, had to humble himself to ensure safety. It is used to describe doing whatever is necessary, even if it feels demeaning, to overcome a difficult obstacle.

He came as a relative and caught hold like a ghost.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone enters your life as a friend or guest but ends up becoming a major nuisance, burden, or an inescapable problem that is difficult to get rid of.

God gave the vegetables, but the devil gave the cook.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where excellent raw materials or resources are wasted or ruined by incompetent handling or poor execution. It suggests that even the best gifts can be made useless by someone who doesn't know how to use them properly.

When someone comes to visit as a relative but stays back and haunts like a ghost.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a guest or a person who initially came to help or visit ends up overstaying their welcome or becomes a major nuisance and burden that is hard to get rid of.