మామిళ్ళ కాజ్ఞగాని, గుక్కిళ్ళకు ఆజ్ఞా?

This expression refers to an order that must be obeyed without question or delay. It originates from the Ramayana, where King Sugriva issued a strict command to his Vanara army to find Sita, implying that failure to comply would result in severe punishment. In modern usage, it describes a non-negotiable directive or a final ultimatum.

This reiterates the potency of God and His will. But all the same, one should perform one’s duty (karma) and leave the result to God.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone acts as if they have authority over things that are free or do not belong to them. It mocks people who unnecessarily try to control or dictate terms in matters where they have no personal stake or ownership.

This expression is used to describe a person who boasts or brags excessively about their courage and abilities but proves to be a coward or fails miserably when it comes to actual action. It originates from the Mahabharata, where Prince Uttara Kumara made grand claims of bravery before fleeing the battlefield upon seeing the Kuru army.

Uttara, the son of king Virâṭa, volunteered to attack the Kurus, but his courage failed him and he turned tail at the sight of the enemy ( see Virâṭaparva of the Mahâbhârata ). Bragging. Bombast.

This proverb describes a state of extreme poverty or desperation where a person has nothing to satisfy their needs and must rely on meager, insufficient substitutes. It highlights a situation where one is so deprived that they try to find solace in things that offer no real relief.

This proverb is used to point out that while one can restrict or control access to physical resources or external actions, one cannot control a person's natural reactions, thoughts, or internal desires. It is often used when someone tries to impose impossible or overreaching restrictions on others.

This proverb highlights that people with similar traits, often negative ones, tend to admire and support each other. Just as a wicked person finds common ground with another wicked person, an ignorant individual is more likely to be impressed by someone equally lacking in knowledge or wisdom, rather than someone truly wise.

This is a traditional agricultural observation or weather-based proverb. It suggests that a year with excessive heat or specific weather conditions might lead to a poor mango harvest (symbolized as death/failure), while simultaneously being perfect for a bountiful tamarind harvest (symbolized as wealth/success). It is used to describe how certain conditions can be unfavorable for one thing but highly beneficial for another.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is forced to agree or submit to another person's will not out of choice, but out of absolute necessity or coercion. It originated from a story where a king was forced to nod his head (neck) to a condition set by a clever person named Lalla, implying that one's 'neck' or life is at stake if they do not comply.

This expression is used to signify that the ultimate authority or the highest order must be obeyed without question. It implies that once a final decision or a supreme command is given, there is no further room for argument or appeal. In a historical or administrative context, it refers to an order that is absolute.