కాలంలో విత్తనాలు కలలోనైనా చల్లాలి.

kalamlo vittanalu kalalonaina challali.

Translation

Seeds must be sown in the right season, even if it is only in a dream.

Meaning

This proverb emphasizes the critical importance of timing and punctuality. It suggests that certain tasks must be performed during their designated time to be successful. Even if one is unable to do it physically, the intent and preparation should be there, highlighting that missing a seasonal opportunity leads to failure.

Related Phrases

Floods in the rainy season, heatwaves in the summer season.

This expression is used to describe the predictable yet harsh realities or inevitable natural occurrences associated with specific times or situations. It implies that every season or phase of life comes with its own set of inherent challenges that one must expect and endure.

The husband who rejected his wife during the drought, came to claim her during the harvest season.

This proverb describes a fair-weather friend or an opportunistic person. It refers to someone who abandons their responsibilities or relationships when times are difficult and resources are scarce, only to return and claim their rights or benefits when prosperity returns.

Only if there are seeds, can there be management (authority).

This proverb highlights that one can only exercise authority or manage affairs if they possess the necessary resources or capital. In an agricultural context, it means without seeds to sow, there is no farm to manage; in a broader sense, it implies that financial stability is the foundation of influence and leadership.

Like spinning cotton in summer and pounding rice in the rainy season.

This expression refers to poor planning or performing tasks at the most inconvenient and difficult times. Spinning cotton (ekulu vadakadam) is better done when there is humidity (monsoon) to prevent the fiber from breaking, while pounding rice (vadlu danchadam) requires dry weather. Doing them in reverse leads to unnecessary hardship and inefficiency.

Seeds sown during the Magha season will show their spots.

This agricultural proverb signifies that seeds sown during the Magha rain cycle (Karthi) do not yield a proper harvest; rather, they fail or remain as mere spots in the soil. It is used to emphasize the importance of timing and that efforts made at the wrong time lead to wasted labor and failure.

The Fire God is an infant in winter and a grown man in summer.

This proverb describes the nature of heat and fire across seasons. In winter, fire feels small and gentle like an infant because we seek its warmth, but in summer, even a little heat feels overwhelming and powerful like a grown man, making it difficult to bear.

Goodness, even if small, is enough; a seed, even if tiny, is enough!

This proverb emphasizes that quality matters more than quantity. Just as a tiny seed has the potential to grow into a massive tree, a small amount of goodness or a single positive action can have a significant and lasting impact. It is used to encourage people that even small contributions or virtuous acts are valuable.

Are there any householders even in dreams who do not desire gold and youth?

This expression highlights that it is almost impossible for a common man (householder) to be entirely free from worldly desires, specifically wealth (gold) and physical beauty (youth). It suggests that these attachments are intrinsic to the human experience in the material world.

Like pouring a granary's worth of seeds and bringing back a basketful.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a massive investment or effort results in a very small or disproportionate return. It signifies a loss or a failed venture where the output is significantly less than the input.

They are seeds out of the same bowl.

This expression is used to mock someone's intelligence or behavior, implying that their brain is empty or contains only useless 'seeds' instead of wisdom. It is often used to describe someone who is being foolish, empty-headed, or lacks common sense.

Coming from the same bad stock.