గచ్చపొద మీద పడ్డ బట్ట గ్రక్కున తీయవశమా

gachchapoda mida padda batta grakkuna tiyavashama

Translation

Is it possible to pull away a cloth fallen on a thorny bush instantly?

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe situations where getting out of a problem requires patience and care rather than haste. Just as pulling a cloth quickly from a thorny bush would tear it, acting impulsively in a delicate or complicated situation will only cause more damage. It advises one to be slow and steady when dealing with complex issues or difficult people.

Related Phrases

Like having a thorny bush under a fruit-bearing tree

This expression is used to describe a situation where something beneficial or pleasant is accompanied by an unexpected nuisance or danger. It highlights how a good experience can be ruined or made difficult to access by a small but significant problem nearby, similar to how thorns make it hard to reach for sweet fruits.

He dug and threw [the earth] on his own head.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone creates a problem for themselves or invites trouble through their own unnecessary actions. It signifies self-inflicted harm or a blunder that results in one's own downfall.

Like a cloth falling over wide-open eyes

This expression describes a situation where a sudden, unexpected obstacle or misfortune completely obstructs one's vision or progress just when everything seemed clear and promising. It is used when a person is caught off guard by a problem that renders them helpless or blind to the situation at hand.

When one couldn't stay quiet and picked a fight with a mason, he kicked for every basket carried.

This proverb describes a situation where someone unnecessarily interferes in someone else's business or picks an avoidable argument, only to end up being humiliated or punished repeatedly. It is used to warn someone against meddling in affairs that don't concern them, especially when it results in predictable trouble.

Is the love for the relative greater, or the love for the rice?

This proverb is used to describe a stingy person who prioritizes their food or resources over hospitality. It highlights the conflict between the desire to be a good host and the reluctance to spend money or share provisions.

He got stuck like a lover in the spring season.

This expression is used to describe someone who gets deeply entangled or hopelessly stuck in a situation or relationship, often to the point of being unable to extricate themselves easily. In Telugu literature, 'Aamani' (spring) represents a time of intense passion, and 'Lanjakadu' refers to a paramour or lover; together they imply a state of being completely absorbed or trapped by attraction or circumstances.

When one went to improve their life, they got stuck with back-breaking labor.

This expression is used when a person's attempt to improve their situation or find an easier path leads to even harder work or more difficult circumstances. It describes an irony where an effort to find comfort results in greater hardship.

A stone thrown by an unskilled laborer might hit the target or it might miss it entirely.

This proverb is used to describe actions or outcomes that are completely dependent on luck or chance rather than skill or planning. It implies that when someone incompetent or careless does something, there is no guarantee of the result; it is purely accidental if it works out.

Like showing anger toward the mother-in-law on the earthen pot.

This expression describes a situation where someone takes out their frustration or anger on an innocent third party or an inanimate object because they cannot confront the person who actually caused the provocation. It is similar to the concept of 'displaced aggression'.

An illicit husband and the shade of a palm tree are both unstable.

This proverb highlights things that lack permanence or reliability. Just as the shade of a tall, thin palm tree shifts rapidly and offers no real shelter, an illicit or informal relationship lacks legal or social security. It is used to describe situations or people that cannot be depended upon in the long run.