గుడిలో దేవుడికన్నా గుడి పూజారి ముఖ్యం

gudilo devudikanna gudi pujari mukhyam

Translation

The temple priest is more important than the God in the temple.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a situation where an intermediary or a subordinate has more influence or power than the actual authority figure. It suggests that one must please the gatekeeper or the middleman to get access to the main person or result.

Related Phrases

God resides in the backside of money

This blunt and cynical expression is used to describe how wealth commands immense power and respect in society. It implies that money is so influential that it can make anything happen, and people will worship or follow it as if it were a deity, often overriding moral or spiritual values.

A temple is safer than the house.

Sometimes, one’s place of work or stay elsewhere is better than living in one’s own house, especially when domestic harmony is absent.

The temple is stronger than the house. Said by a ruined man who had been obliged to take refuge in a temple, but pretended that he had gone there for the safety of his property. Make a virtue of necessity.

This proverb is used sarcastically to describe a situation where a person is so troubled or miserable at home that they find more peace or safety staying elsewhere. It can also imply a state of homelessness or having nothing left to lose, suggesting that one's house is no longer a viable shelter.

While the idol in the temple was in want of Naivêdyam, the priest cried for Puḷihôra. Puḷihôra is a more expensive offering prepared with acid.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes selfish or excessive demands when the basic necessities are not being met. It highlights the irony of someone worrying about their personal luxuries or specific desires in a moment of extreme scarcity or crisis where even the essentials are unavailable.

Even if the temple is small, the greatness of the god within is superior.

This expression is used to convey that the size or outward appearance of something does not determine its value or power. It suggests that one should not judge someone's talent or a thing's effectiveness based on its physical scale or simplicity.

Offering jaggery from the shop as a sacrifice to the God in the temple.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone tries to gain credit or show devotion by using someone else's resources or by performing an act that costs them nothing personally. It refers to a person who makes hollow promises or offers things they do not truly own or have not worked for.

While the deity inside the temple lacks even a cloth, the deity at the entrance is offered a colorful saree.

This expression is used to describe situations where basic needs or essential priorities are neglected while resources are wasted on superficial or secondary matters. It highlights a lack of common sense or misplaced priorities, similar to 'neglecting the core while decorating the surface.'

A cheat, literally one who swallows the temple as well as the deity inside.

When greed grows excessively, a person wishes to acquire all – without caring for the means to attain his immoral goal.

Even if God grants a boon, the priest will not grant it.

This proverb describes a situation where a higher authority is willing to help or approve a request, but the subordinates or intermediaries create obstacles. It is commonly used to express frustration with bureaucracy, middle-men, or lower-level officials who block progress despite orders from the top.

For one who can swallow the entire temple, is the Shiva Lingam inside it even a consideration?

This proverb is used to describe a person who is involved in massive corruption or a huge crime; for such a person, stealing a small thing or committing a minor offense is trivial. It highlights that someone who has already committed a grave misdeed will not hesitate to commit smaller ones to further their goal.