కలిగినమ్మ కంకు, కాషాయి బొంకు.

kaliginamma kanku, kashayi bonku.

Translation

The wealthy woman's cough and the ascetic's saffron are lies.

Meaning

This proverb suggests that people often use pretenses to protect their interests. A wealthy person might fake a cough or illness to avoid fulfilling a social obligation or giving money, just as a fake ascetic might wear saffron robes (kaashaayam) to deceive others. It is used to describe deceptive behavior used to hide the truth or avoid responsibility.

Related Phrases

For the one who learned to have an illicit affair, the one who learned to lie is a companion.

This proverb describes how one bad habit or vice often leads to another. Specifically, it implies that to hide a significant misdeed, one must inevitably resort to lying. It is used to suggest that moral failings or deceptive behaviors usually go hand in hand.

If it works out, it is a lie; if it doesn't, it is an illicit affair.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person tries to cover up a mistake or a wrongdoing with a lie. If the lie is believed, they get away with it (it remains just a 'lie'); if the lie fails and they are caught, the act is exposed as something much more scandalous or serious. It highlights how people manipulate truths to suit their convenience until they are caught.

Learn to lie, then learn to support that lie.

This expression suggests that if one chooses to tell a lie, they must also have the cleverness and consistency to maintain it without getting caught. It is used to remark on the complexity of deception and the need for a 'logical cover' when being dishonest.

Even if the sky breaks or an eye is lost, you will not stop doing it.

This expression is used to describe an extremely stubborn person or someone who is persistent to a fault. It suggests that regardless of major disasters or personal injury, the individual refuses to change their course of action or stop a specific behavior.

Truth is short, a lie is long.

This proverb is used to describe how truth is often simple and direct, whereas lies require long, elaborate, and convoluted explanations to be sustained or made believable.

Will the mere birth of a son uplift the lineage?

This expression suggests that simply having a son does not bring honor or progress to a family or community; rather, it is his virtues, character, and actions that truly matter. It is often used to emphasize quality of character over mere existence or gender.

The impurity of a great house and the lie of a gentleman are never known.

This proverb highlights that the flaws or misdeeds of influential, wealthy, or high-status individuals are often hidden from public view or suppressed by their reputation. It is used to describe how power and status can mask hypocrisy and dishonesty.

The Râmâyana is [a tale of] adultery; the Bhârata is obscene; the Bhâgavata is a lie.

This is a paradoxical or cynical saying used to highlight how critics or those with a narrow perspective can misinterpret the core themes of the great epics. It refers to how someone who doesn't understand the spiritual context might only see the abduction of Sita (Ramayana), the harsh violence/politics (Mahabharata), or the supernatural miracles (Bhagavatam) as negative traits.

Ramayana is about infidelity, Mahabharata is about lies.

This provocative proverb is used to criticize or point out that even the greatest epics contain flaws and moral complexities. In a broader sense, it is used to argue that no one or nothing is perfect, or to justify small mistakes by comparing them to the controversial actions found in sacred texts. It suggests that if even the gods faced such allegations, human errors are inevitable.

Is there a shortage of footwear for the children of the wealthy?

This proverb suggests that for people with abundant resources or power, even their smallest needs are easily met without effort. It is used to describe a situation where someone influential never lacks support, opportunities, or basic necessities, implying that luxury and convenience come naturally to those in high positions.