దుర్మార్గానికి తండ్రి బద్ధకం

This expression is used to highlight hereditary traits, behaviors, or similarities between a father and his son. It implies that the son is naturally expected to behave exactly like his father, whether in a positive sense (excellence, skill) or a negative one (stubbornness, bad habits).

Like father, like son. Such a father, such a son. (Portuguese.)* He is his father's son. (Latin.)†

This expression emphasizes the supreme importance of parents in one's life. It highlights that a mother provides spiritual and emotional guidance like a deity, while a father provides the material support and security necessary for life.

This proverb is used to describe a situation or task that is impossible to perform because the essential information is missing. Since a prostitute's son may not know his biological father, he cannot perform the specific ritual ('Taddinam'). It refers to futile efforts or tasks that lack a logical starting point.

This proverb suggests that after a mother's passing, the father's attention and affection might diminish or shift, especially if he remarries, making him distant like a secondary relative rather than a primary nurturer. It highlights the unique, irreplaceable role of a mother in a child's upbringing.

This is a sarcastic expression or proverb used to mock someone who tries to establish a non-existent or irrelevant relationship between two people. It highlights that the connection being mentioned is so obvious or general (like both being men) that it isn't a real relationship at all. It is used to dismiss someone's attempt to claim kinship or closeness where none exists.

This expression refers to the traditional socio-legal concept in Telugu culture where paternal relatives are considered 'Dayadulu' (agnates). It implies that while they are family, they are also potential competitors or rivals for ancestral property and inheritance, often used to describe the complex, sometimes strained relationship between paternal cousins or kin.

This rhetorical question is used to imply that a son naturally inherits the qualities, character, or reputation of his father. It is typically used when someone displays a trait (either good or bad) that is very similar to their father's known behavior, essentially meaning 'Like father, like son'.

This expression suggests that idle behavior or laziness leads to negative thoughts and harmful actions. It is similar to the English proverb 'An idle brain is the devil's workshop,' implying that when someone is unproductive, they are more likely to engage in immoral or destructive behavior.

This is a blunt rhetorical question used to describe a situation where there is no clear ownership, responsibility, or origin. It is often applied to projects, tasks, or issues where no one is willing to take accountability or where the source is impossible to determine.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is habitually dishonest or a situation that is fundamentally flawed. Just as an 'almanac of lies' would mark every single hour as bad luck (tyajyam), every word or action from a chronic liar is considered unreliable and should be rejected or avoided entirely.