ఏరు ముందా, ఏరువాక ముందా, ఏకాదశి ముందా, పున్నమి ముందా?
eru munda, eruvaka munda, ekadashi munda, punnami munda?
Is the river first, the start of plowing first, the Ekadashi festival first, or the full moon first?
This is a traditional Telugu riddle or rhetorical question used to highlight the confusion or overlapping priorities of agricultural and spiritual life. It refers to 'Eruvaka Punnam', a festival marking the start of the monsoon and the first plowing. It is often used to describe a state of confusion when multiple important events happen simultaneously, or to test one's knowledge of seasonal cycles and traditions.
Related Phrases
చెట్టు ముందా, విత్తు ముందా అన్నట్టు
chettu munda, vittu munda annattu
Like asking whether the tree was first or the seed.
This expression is used to describe a classic 'chicken and egg' dilemma. It refers to a situation or debate where it is impossible to determine which of two related things happened first or is the primary cause of the other.
A problem that cannot be solved. Ask which was born first, the hen or the egg. (Italian.)*
ఏటు ముందా ఏకాదశి ముందా?
etu munda ekadashi munda?
Which comes first, the blow or the Ekadashi fast?
This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person is already suffering from one problem and is suddenly hit with another. It specifically refers to being caught between a physical hardship (the blow) and a religious or self-imposed hardship (the fast). It is used when someone is overwhelmed by consecutive or simultaneous troubles.
మొయిలు విడిచిన ఎండ, మొగుడు విడిచిన ముండ, పట్టి విడిచిన మండ, ఎత్తి విడిచిన కుండ.
moyilu vidichina enda, mogudu vidichina munda, patti vidichina manda, etti vidichina kunda.
Sunlight emerging from clouds, a woman left by her husband, a branch caught and released, and a pot lifted and dropped.
This proverb describes four things that are difficult to manage or have unpleasant consequences. The sunlight after a cloud cover is often very intense; a woman abandoned by her husband faces social hardship; a bent branch that is released snaps back with force; and a pot that is dropped breaks beyond repair. It is used to highlight situations that are intense, uncontrollable, or final.
యేరు ముందా? యేరువాక పున్నమి ముందా?
yeru munda? yeruvaka punnami munda?
Is the river first? Or is the Eruvaka Purnima first?
This is a traditional agricultural proverb used to emphasize the importance of preparation and seasonal cycles. 'Eruvaka Purnima' is a festival celebrating the start of the sowing season. The expression is often used when questioning the logical order of things or when debating which event should take precedence in a cause-and-effect relationship.
ముందుకుపోతే మురికి ముండ, వెనుకకు పోతే వెట్టిముండ
mundukupote muriki munda, venukaku pote vettimunda
If you go forward, she is a dirty woman; if you go backward, she is a mad woman.
This proverb is used to describe a 'catch-22' or a 'no-win' situation where every available option leads to a negative or unpleasant outcome. It is similar to the English expressions 'between a rock and a hard place' or 'between the devil and the deep blue sea.'
చెట్టు ముందా విత్తు ముందా అన్నట్లు
chettu munda vittu munda annatlu
Like asking whether the tree came first or the seed first.
This expression is used to describe a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma or a circular argument where it is impossible to determine which of two related things happened or existed first. It is often applied to situations involving infinite regress or complex causal loops.
ఏరు ముందా ఏరువాక ముందా
eru munda eruvaka munda
Is the river first or the plowing festival first?
This is a rhetorical expression or a riddle-like saying often used to discuss the cyclical nature of things or to question priorities. 'Eruvaka' refers to the traditional festival marking the beginning of the plowing season. It highlights the deep connection between the arrival of rains (rivers) and the start of agricultural activity.
సుత్తె ముందా? కారు ముందా?
sutte munda? karu munda?
Was the hammer first, or were the tongs ?
This expression is used to describe a situation of extreme confusion, circular logic, or a 'chicken and egg' dilemma. It refers to the irony that a blacksmith needs a hammer to make pincers, but needs pincers to hold the metal to make a hammer. It is often used to mock someone who is confused about the order of operations or stuck in a paradox.
లగ్గం ముందా పల్లకి ముందా అన్నాట్ట
laggam munda pallaki munda annatta
Did the auspicious wedding time come first, or did the palanquin arrive first?
This proverb is used to describe a situation where one is caught up in trivial or logistical details (like the arrival of a transport palanquin) while overlooking the primary, essential event (the wedding timing itself). It refers to poor prioritization or unnecessary confusion regarding the order of events.
కొండవీటి చాంతాడు
kondaviti chantadu
The rope of Kondaveedu
This expression is used to describe something that is excessively long, tedious, or never-ending. It often refers to a very long story, a lengthy speech, or an unnecessarily extended process. Historically, it refers to the deep wells in the Kondaveedu fort which required extremely long ropes to draw water.