ధర్మోదకాలలో రాని పితరుడు తర్పణాలలో వచ్చినట్లు

This expression describes someone who is indispensable, highly influential, or deeply integrated into a group. Just as a tongue is essential for speech and a thread holds beads together, it refers to a person who acts as a central, reliable figure or a mediator who maintains unity and functions smoothly within a family or organization.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is daydreaming about luxuries or pleasures while suffering through severe hardship or deprivation. It highlights the irony or the futility of imagining grand things when one's basic needs are not being met.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is an overwhelming variety or complexity within a specific group. Just as there are countless sub-sects and lineages within the Reddy caste and hundreds of varieties of rice/paddy, it implies that some things are too diverse to be easily categorized or fully explained.

This expression refers to things that leave such a strong impression on the mind that they continue to haunt or reappear in thoughts. It is used to describe someone who is obsessed with a particular thought or a traumatic/intense event that they cannot stop thinking about even when asleep.

This expression is used to describe a cruel or senseless act of sabotage. A 'Chalipandiri' is a booth set up to provide free drinking water to thirsty travelers during summer; throwing stones into those pots breaks them and deprives people of water. It refers to someone causing unnecessary harm to a public good or a charitable cause.

This expression is used to describe a person who is unreliable, inconsistent, or avoids responsibility at critical moments. It refers to someone who is missing when the food is served (on the leaf-plate) and also missing when the sacred rituals (offerings to ancestors) are performed, implying they are nowhere to be found when needed or that they belong nowhere.

This expression is used to describe a situation of total loss or a deceptive deal where one ends up losing everything. It highlights a progression from losing the profit (interest) to eventually losing the entire capital (principal). It is often used to mock poor business decisions or to warn against untrustworthy people who fail to honor any part of an agreement.

This proverb is used to describe someone who, despite having long-standing experience in a state of lack or misfortune, still manages to be clumsy, greedy, or inefficient when an opportunity finally arises. It often refers to someone who doesn't know how to handle a situation even after being in it for a very long time, or someone whose deep-rooted habits make them over-eager in a way that is counterproductive.

This expression is used to describe a total loss or a situation where a deal results in losing both the profit and the initial capital. It signifies a complete failure of an investment or a scheme where nothing is recovered.

This proverb describes someone who is extremely stingy or opportunistic, performing a religious or social obligation only when the necessary materials (in this case, a pumpkin for ritualistic offerings) are obtained for free or by chance, rather than out of genuine devotion or at the proper scheduled time.