కరువుకు దాసరులైతే, పదాలెక్కడ వస్తాయి?

This proverb highlights that borrowing things (especially ornaments or jewelry) for the sake of showing off only brings anxiety and a sense of burden, as one is constantly worried about their safety and eventual return. It is used to advise people to live within their means and be content with what they own.

This proverb describes a paradoxical situation where a professional or skilled worker lacks the very thing they produce for others. It is used to highlight irony, such as a doctor who is always sick or a financial advisor who is broke.

This proverb highlights nature's balance and agricultural wisdom. Tamarind trees are drought-resistant and provide food during famines (scarcity), whereas mangoes flourish during their specific season (abundance). It suggests that different things serve different purposes depending on the circumstances, and that one should be prepared for both good and bad times.

This traditional Telugu proverb emphasizes the dependency of agriculture on the 'Kartelu' (astrological seasonal periods that dictate rainfall). It means that if the rains do not arrive during their designated seasonal periods, it leads to crop failure and eventually famine. It is used to highlight the importance of timely natural cycles for survival.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one misfortune is followed by another, compounding an already difficult situation. It is similar to the English expression 'When it rains, it pours.'

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 psychological projection where a person who is dishonest or lacks integrity assumes that everyone else is also deceitful. It is used to point out that one's own character often dictates how they perceive and judge the character of others.

This expression refers to unreliable, fictitious, or manipulated statistics and records. It compares fraudulent bookkeeping or arbitrary reporting to trying to count a flying flock of crows, which is impossible to verify and often based on guesswork or deception.

This expression highlights that money is essential for two main reasons: maintaining one's social standing (dignity) and surviving during times of extreme hardship or scarcity (drought). It is used to emphasize the importance of financial security for both social and survival needs.

This expression describes a situation where one is forced to seek a loan or credit during a time of extreme scarcity or crisis. It signifies an act of desperation or a burden upon an already struggling person, as borrowing during a famine is difficult to repay and even harder to obtain.