విరాటపర్వం ఇంటాయనకొచ్చు, భాగవతం మా బావకొచ్చు, ఆండ్ల దోనుడుగు ఈండ్ల దోనుడుగు నాకింతొచ్చు.

virataparvam intayanakochchu, bhagavatam ma bavakochchu, andla donudugu indla donudugu nakintochchu.

Translation

The man of the house knows Virataparvam, my brother-in-law knows Bhagavatam, and I know a bit of 'donudugu' from here and there.

Meaning

This is a humorous proverb used to describe someone who has no real knowledge or depth of their own but tries to sound learned by picking up scraps of information from others. It mocks superficial knowledge or the habit of pretending to know things by imitating others without understanding the substance.

Related Phrases

The single-tusked one (Ganesha) gives you this much hair.

This is a humorous and sarcastic expression used to describe a situation where someone expects a grand reward or divine intervention but receives something trivial, worthless, or disappointing. It is often used to mock someone's meager offerings or the insignificant results of a supposedly great effort.

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.

Marriage and the urge to vomit cannot be stopped.

This proverb is used to convey that certain events in life are inevitable and will happen when they are meant to, regardless of one's attempts to delay or control them. It highlights that natural bodily urges and significant life milestones like marriage are governed by destiny or natural timing.

Whether the banana leaf falls on the thorn or the thorn falls on the banana leaf, it is the banana leaf that gets damaged.

This proverb describes a situation where a weak person or entity is always the one at a disadvantage when in conflict with a strong or harmful one, regardless of who started the confrontation. It is used to advise caution and avoiding unnecessary friction with dangerous people or powerful opponents because the outcome will always be detrimental to the vulnerable party.

A deal that comes to your feet cannot be found even if you go to Kashi.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of seizing an opportunity when it is right in front of you. If you neglect or reject a fortune or a good deal that comes to you easily, you may not find it again even if you travel long distances or make extreme efforts (symbolized by a pilgrimage to Kashi) to search for it.

When asked, 'Why did you come, Ellamma?', she replied, 'Not for that, I just came for some fire.'

This proverb is used to describe someone who tries to hide their true motive or a guilty conscience by giving a trivial, unrelated excuse. It typically refers to a situation where someone is caught in an awkward position or unwanted visit and makes up a weak reason to justify their presence.

When a ram was sacrificed for the sake of showing off, the whole body ended up covered in hair.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone performs a grand or expensive action just for vanity or to show off, but instead of gaining prestige, they end up with a messy, troublesome, or useless result. It highlights the folly of prioritizing appearances over practical outcomes.

Why hide the pot after coming for buttermilk?

This proverb is used when someone tries to be evasive or shy about their real intention even after approaching someone for help. It suggests that if you have already come to ask for something, there is no point in being secretive or hesitant about it; you should be direct and transparent about your needs.

When the woman who came to the wedding said her lips were dry, the host replied, 'When did you even arrive, you with the restless eyes?'

This proverb is used to mock people who start complaining or making demands immediately after arriving at a place or joining a task, without having contributed anything or spent enough time to justify such complaints. It highlights the behavior of guests or newcomers who focus on their own minor discomforts while ignoring the larger context of the event.

Ships can become carts, and carts can become ships.

This proverb signifies the unpredictable nature of fortune and time. It means that a wealthy person can become poor and a poor person can become wealthy; nothing in life is permanent. It is used to advise humility during success and hope during adversity.