ఏటి ఈతకు, బీటి మేతకు సరి.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where the effort or risk involved completely cancels out the reward or gain. It refers to cattle that swim across a dangerous river to reach fertile grazing land (Lanka islands), only to burn off all the calories they gained by swimming back, resulting in a zero net gain.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is already facing a difficult task or struggle, and they are further burdened with unnecessary or harmful complications. It refers to a swimmer struggling in water who gets covered in leeches, making their survival even harder. It applies to people who find themselves in double trouble due to their persistence or unfortunate circumstances.

This expression refers to things that are perfectly matched or sufficient for their specific purpose. It highlights that the holy Ganga provides the best experience for swimming, and 'Garika' grass is the ideal fodder for livestock, suggesting a state of complete satisfaction or finding the right tool/place for a job.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where the hard work or effort put into a task is just enough to cover the gains, resulting in no net profit. It signifies a break-even scenario where the struggle and the reward cancel each other out.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where two inferior or low-quality things are exchanged or paired together. It suggests a 'tit-for-tat' scenario where neither party can complain because both provided something of poor value. It is similar to saying 'diamond cuts diamond' but in a negative or poor-quality context.

This expression refers to a situation where the reward is high but requires significant effort or risk to achieve. It originates from the practice of cattle swimming across the Godavari river to reach fertile island pastures (Lanka) for grazing. It is used to describe jobs or tasks where one must work extremely hard or face dangers to reap the benefits.

This expression is used to describe a lazy person who is always ready to consume resources or eat but avoids doing any physical work or taking responsibility. It is often used to criticize someone who is unproductive despite being well-fed.

This proverb describes someone who exaggerates their own minor problems or assets while trivializing the significant issues or properties of others. It highlights a double standard or lack of empathy where a person considers their small trouble as huge (like a large palm leaf) and others' large trouble as insignificant (like a small, thin date leaf).

This proverb describes a person who behaves submissively or obediently toward family members (like a sister-in-law) but shows extreme stubbornness or resistance when it comes to work or external obligations. It is used to mock someone who puts on a show of being helpful while actually being uncooperative or rigid in their ways.

This expression is used to describe a situation where the effort or expenditure is exactly equal to the benefit or gain, resulting in no net profit. It specifically refers to a scenario where a person swims across a river (hard work) to let cattle graze on an island, but the energy/resources gained from the grazing are consumed by the effort of swimming back and forth.