డూడూ బసవన్నా అంటే తలూపినట్లు

dudu basavanna ante talupinatlu

Translation

Like the sacred bull (Basavanna) nodding its head when the master says 'Doo Doo'.

Meaning

This expression refers to a person who blindly agrees with everything someone says without thinking for themselves or showing any individuality. It describes submissiveness or 'yes-man' behavior, similar to how a decorated performing bull nods its head mechanically to its master's commands.

Related Phrases

When asked 'Shall I tie a blindfold, Basavanna?', he said 'No', but when asked 'Will you eat boiled grains?', he said 'Yes'.

This proverb is used to describe a person who avoids hard work or responsibility but is the first one to show up for benefits or food. It highlights opportunism and laziness.

When a man expressed his trust in Râmanna, the latter promised to make him as great a man as himself. Râmanna was really a beggar though pretending to be a great man.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone's trust or reliance on another person results in them being dragged down to that person's level of misfortune or mediocrity. It warns about trusting people who are in a bad state themselves, as they might end up making your situation as bad as theirs.

If you say 'I trust you Rama', he replies 'I will drown you in the middle of the river Lakshmana'.

This proverb describes a situation of extreme betrayal. It is used when someone completely trusts another person, but that person takes advantage of that trust to cause them severe harm or ruin. It highlights the irony and cruelty of being betrayed by someone you relied on.

Like showing a parasitic plant (Badanika) to a snake.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is instantly terrified or completely subdued by a specific threat or person. In Telugu folklore, it is believed that snakes are extremely fearful of the 'Badanika' (a type of parasitic plant) and become paralyzed or helpless when shown it. It signifies a weakness or a 'kryptonite' that brings an immediate stop to someone's aggressive behavior.

When Basavanna was asked if he would eat cotton seed, he said "Âhâ"; when Basavanna was asked whether he would have on the pack saddle he said "Uhû."

This proverb describes a person who is eager to accept benefits or rewards but refuses to do the associated work or take on responsibilities. It is used to mock people who want the perks without the effort.

Basavanna is the name of a bull sacred to Siva. Bullocks are often familiarly called by this name. Âhâ is an exclamation signifying consent. Uhâ signifies refusal.

When asked, 'Will you eat cotton seeds, Basavanna?', he said 'Aha!' (Yes); when asked, 'Shall I tie the bag of seeds to you, Basavanna?', he said 'Oohu' (No).

This proverb describes someone who is eager to enjoy the benefits or rewards of a task but is unwilling to take on the labor or responsibility associated with it. It is used to mock people who want freebies but refuse to work for them.

Like a sacred bull nodding its head to whatever 'Dudu Basavanna' says.

This expression is used to describe a person who mindlessly agrees with everything someone says without thinking for themselves or questioning the logic. It refers to the 'Gangireddu' (decorated bull) tradition where the bull nods its head to its master's rhythmic commands.

Like asking Basavanna if he wants to eat horse gram and him nodding 'yes'

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is overly eager or gives an immediate, enthusiastic consent to something that is clearly to their benefit. It refers to the bull (Basavanna) who never says no to its favorite food, implying a predictable and self-serving 'yes' without any hesitation.

When I said 'I trust you, Ramanna', it's like you tried to make me just like yourself.

This expression is used when someone exploits or betrays the trust of a person who relied on them for help, often by dragging the victim down to their own miserable level or situation instead of uplifting them. It describes a situation where seeking assistance results in being burdened with the helper's own problems.

Basavanna before Veeranna, Ganesha before Gauri.

This proverb describes a situation where a child or a subordinate is always accompanying or preceding someone, much like Nandi (Basavanna) is always found before Shiva (Veeranna) and Ganesha is associated with Gauri. It is used to describe inseparable duos or when a junior member always tags along with a senior.