గోవు లేదురా గోపన్నా అంటే గోదారిలో ఉన్నాయి పాపన్నా

govu ledura gopanna ante godarilo unnayi papanna

Translation

When told 'there is no cow, Gopanna', he says 'they are in the Godavari river, Papanna'

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone gives an irrelevant, illogical, or evasive answer to a direct statement or question. It highlights a complete lack of communication or understanding between two people, often where one person is making excuses or diverting the topic with nonsense.

Related Phrases

For sins, Papanna is the Bhairava.

This expression refers to a person who is ruthless and uncompromising when dealing with wrongdoers or sinners. In Telugu culture, Bhairava is a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation and justice. The phrase implies that just as Bhairava punishes evil, a person named Papanna (or anyone being described this way) acts as a fearsome judge or punisher for those who commit sins.

If one's lifespan is strong, it is the same whether they are in a forest or in Ayodhya.

This expression means that if a person is destined to live, they will survive regardless of their surroundings or the dangers they face. It highlights the belief in destiny and longevity, suggesting that safety (Ayodhya) or danger (the forest) does not matter if it is not yet one's time to die. It is used to express that fate governs life and death.

When asked 'What is with this showing off, brother?', he replied 'I don't have a single paisa, younger brother.'

This proverb is used to mock people who boast or show off their status and lifestyle while actually being broke or having no resources. It highlights the irony of people maintaining a grand facade despite having an empty pocket.

Grazing cows is better than serving a master.

This proverb highlights the value of self-reliance and independence over a subordinate job. It suggests that even a humble, independent occupation like herding cattle is preferable to the restrictions, stress, and ego-clashes involved in working under someone else's command (service/employment).

When asked which way, saying Godavari.

This expression describes a situation where someone gives an irrelevant, nonsensical, or rhyming answer to a question instead of providing the actual information requested. It highlights a lack of connection between the question asked and the response given, often used when someone is being evasive or is completely lost in conversation.

When asked 'Hello Narayamma, where is your house?', she replied 'It is in the Govindaraja temple'.

This proverb describes a situation where someone gives a vague, evasive, or logically impossible answer to a simple question. It is used to mock people who provide confusing or grandiloquent responses instead of a straightforward one, or when someone claims ownership of something that clearly doesn't belong to them.

If in Himagiri (the Himalayas), it is Nandi; if in Gangaram (a common village), it is a Gangireddu (a street bull).

This proverb describes how the value and respect an individual receives depend heavily on their environment, position, and the company they keep. Even a divine bull like Nandi is seen as a common street bull when removed from its sacred context. It is used to emphasize that status is often a reflection of one's surroundings.

The crop is in the manure, and the dairy is in the grass.

This proverb emphasizes the fundamental secrets of agriculture and animal husbandry. It means that a good harvest depends on the quality of fertilizer (manure), and good milk production depends on providing quality fodder (grass) to the livestock. It highlights that inputs determine the quality of outputs.

It is the same whether it is in the udder or in the pot.

This expression refers to a state of complacency or lack of urgency regarding a resource that is already secured or 'at hand'. It is used to describe a situation where one feels there is no difference between a resource being in its source (like milk in an udder) or collected (like milk in a pot), implying that since it belongs to them, they can access it whenever they want, often leading to laziness or delayed action.

When asked which way, saying 'Godavari' way.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone gives an irrelevant or nonsensical answer to a specific question, or when there is a complete lack of communication/understanding between two people. It highlights a disconnect where the response has nothing to do with the query.