ఇహం మన్ను, పరం పైడి

This proverb advises that being shy or overly polite in two specific areas—eating and financial/business dealings—can lead to personal loss or dissatisfaction. If you are too shy to ask for food, you stay hungry; if you are too shy to discuss terms or money in business, you face financial losses.

For centuries, fasting is recommended as cure for any ailment by doctors practicing Indian medicine, Ayurveda.

This expression is used to describe someone who is extremely lazy or wants everything served to them without any effort. It refers to a person who knows there is a reward (rice pudding) available but is so lethargic that they expect someone else to wake them up and perhaps even feed them, rather than taking the initiative themselves.

This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks ambition, sense, or direction, or a situation that leads nowhere. It suggests that since there is no progress or spiritual gain being made, one might as well remain in their current state or return to their original position. It is often used sarcastically to mock someone's uselessness or lack of growth.

This expression is used to describe a situation that was already bad or mediocre, which then became significantly worse due to additional hardships. It implies that when resources are already scarce or of poor quality, any further calamity makes the situation unbearable or impossible to manage.

Worse and worse.

This proverb describes a situation where someone becomes so accustomed to a life of luxury or ease that they forget their original duties, core responsibilities, or the hard work that defined them. It is used to criticize people who neglect their roots or professions after attaining comfort.

This proverb describes the extremes of luck or fortune. It refers to a person's current 'luck streak'—when someone is highly successful, even their smallest efforts (mud) yield great results (gold). Conversely, when someone is going through a period of extreme misfortune, even their most valuable assets or best efforts fail miserably.

This expression is used to describe partiality or double standards shown by a person. It refers to a situation where someone treats one person or side with kindness and favor (the soft flower) while treating another with harshness or severity (the hard unripe fruit).

This proverb highlights the specific ways things should be enjoyed or how their quality is distributed. For Pappucharu (lentil soup), the flavors settle at the bottom with the spices and sediments, whereas for Paramannam (sweet rice pudding), the cream and ghee usually float to the top. It is used to suggest that one must know where to look for the true essence or quality of a particular thing.

This expression describes the volatility of luck or fortune. It refers to a situation where a person with bad luck can turn a valuable opportunity (gold) into a failure (mud), while a person with good luck or skill can turn even a worthless thing into something precious.