కొండమీదికి భక్ష్యాలకు పోతే, ఉన్న పాయసం పోయిందట

kondamidiki bhakshyalaku pote, unna payasam poyindata

Translation

When one went up the hill for sweets, they lost the pudding they already had.

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where someone's greed or pursuit of more results in the loss of what they already possessed. It is used to caution against abandoning a sure thing in favor of an uncertain, potentially better gain, only to end up with nothing.

Related Phrases

If you have money, even a monkey on a hill will come down

This proverb is used to illustrate the power of money and how it can make the seemingly impossible possible. It suggests that with enough wealth, one can influence anyone or achieve any task, no matter how difficult or distant it may seem.

Like rolling a boulder down a hill. It is easy to bowl down hill.

This expression is used to describe a task that, once started, progresses rapidly and uncontrollably with great force, or to describe the immense relief one feels after being unburdened by a heavy responsibility or a long-standing problem.

Can we offer leaves as large as a mountain to a God who is as big as a mountain?

This expression is used to signify that it is impossible to fully repay someone's immense help or match their stature with material offerings. It emphasizes that devotion or gratitude is more important than the scale of the gift, acknowledging human limitations when dealing with greatness.

For Lakshmayya who eats ten sweets, is one sweet a matter of concern?

This proverb is used to describe a person who handles large challenges or massive tasks effortlessly, implying that a minor version of that task is trivial for them. It plays on the name 'Lakshmayya' and the word 'Lakshyam' (target/concern). It is similar to saying 'A person used to dealing with thousands won't blink at a single rupee.'

Can we offer mountain-sized leaves to a mountain-sized God?

This expression is used to acknowledge that one's offerings or gratitude can never truly match the magnitude of the help or blessings received. It is often said humbly when offering a small gift or gesture to someone of great stature or to a deity, implying that while the offering is small, the devotion is large.

How many are the wounds of a man who has fallen from the top of a hill? A man inured to difficulties.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone has already suffered a massive, catastrophic loss or failure, making smaller additional problems irrelevant or uncountable. It implies that when a person is already in a state of total ruin, minor setbacks no longer matter.

Like rolling a boulder down from a hill

This expression is used to describe a task that, once started or triggered, happens with great speed, force, and ease without needing further effort. It is often used to describe someone speaking fluently and uncontrollably without a pause, or an event gaining unstoppable momentum.

Anger toward the mother is taken out on the child.

This proverb describes a situation where a person redirects their frustration or anger from its original source toward someone else who is vulnerable or associated with that source. It is used to point out unfair treatment where an innocent party suffers for someone else's mistake or due to a displaced grudge.

When asked why there is so much noise on the hill, they said merchants are sharing secrets.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where something intended to be a secret is being done so loudly or obviously that everyone knows about it. It mocks the irony of people who claim to be discreet while creating a public spectacle.

Is it possible for anyone to climb a mountain and count the small shrubs below?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone attempts a task that is practically impossible or illogical due to the scale or distance involved. It suggests that from a position of great height or status, it is difficult and unnecessary to keep track of every minute, insignificant detail. It highlights the limitations of human perception and the futility of over-ambitious or unrealistic scrutiny.