మామిడికాయలు తరిగితే, కత్తిపీట వాదర పులుస్తుందా?

mamidikayalu tarigite, kattipita vadara pulustunda?

Translation

If you slice mangoes, will the edge of the vegetable cutter turn sour?

Meaning

This proverb is used to illustrate that experiencing something or being around something doesn't necessarily change one's inherent nature. Just as a metal blade doesn't taste sour no matter how many sour mangoes it cuts, a person or object remains unchanged by external circumstances they are merely processing or witnessing.

Related Phrases

Will a Calotropis plant bear mangoes?

This expression is used to highlight that one's nature, quality, or output is determined by their origin or character. Just as a toxic or weed-like plant (Jilledu) cannot produce a sweet fruit (Mango), one cannot expect greatness, kindness, or high-quality results from a person or source that lacks those inherent qualities.

By Shivaratri, mangoes grow to the size of Shivalingas.

This is a traditional agricultural observation or proverb indicating that by the time of the Maha Shivaratri festival (usually in late February or early March), the young green mangoes on the trees should have grown to a significant size, comparable to small stone lingas. It serves as a seasonal marker for the growth of the mango crop.

If the elephant yam itself doesn't have an itch, why should the slicer (the knife board) have one?

This proverb is used to criticize an outsider who shows more concern, agitation, or anger about an issue than the person directly affected by it. It highlights unnecessary interference or exaggerated reactions by someone who has no stake in the matter.

The brinjals mentioned in the Puranas do not make it into the stew.

This proverb is used to point out that theoretical knowledge or high-sounding sermons are useless if they are not applied in practice. It highlights the difference between preaching and practicing, or between abstract ideas and practical reality.

If the swords meet, the partnership/alliance meets.

This expression is used to describe a situation where mutual interests, particularly regarding power or conflict, lead to an alliance. It suggests that once people recognize each other's strength or engage in a common struggle, they are more likely to form a cooperative bond or partnership.

If the quality decreases, the shine decreases.

This expression means that a person's reputation or outward respect depends entirely on their character or the quality of their work. If one's inner worth or standard of work (vasi) declines, their fame and public standing (vanne) will automatically diminish.

Will mangoes fall for mantras?

This rhetorical question is used to express skepticism toward someone who thinks results can be achieved through mere words or empty talk rather than actual hard work or practical action. It highlights that miracles or success don't happen just by wishing or chanting; they require effort.

The horn will destroy the scalp/crown of the head.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where something that was meant to provide protection or support (like a horn) ends up causing destruction to its own base (the head). It is used when a person's own pride, arrogance, or someone they nurtured turns against them and leads to their downfall.

Although the pumpkin be as big as a large pot, yet it is subject to the kitchen knife. Gummadi kāya is the Cucurbita Maxima. However great a family a wife may come from, she must still be sub- ject to her husband.

This proverb highlights that size or status does not matter when faced with the right tool or authority meant to handle it. It is used to describe situations where a small but powerful entity (like a blade or a person in authority) can easily manage or control something much larger or seemingly superior.

Can unripe mangoes be made to drop by magic?

This expression is used to remind someone that results require hard work and practical effort rather than just empty talk or miracles. It is a sarcastic rhetorical question aimed at those who expect success without doing the necessary work.

Said of excessive leniency or ineffective measures.