మన గుమ్మడికాయలు మంచివైతే, బజార్లో ఎందుకు దొర్లుతాయి?
mana gummadikayalu manchivaite, bajarlo enduku dorlutayi?
If our pumpkins are good, why would they be rolling in the market?
This proverb suggests that if our own belongings or family members were truly good or well-behaved, they wouldn't be found in undesirable situations or being criticized by the public. It is often used to point out that when someone close to us is involved in a scandal or trouble, the fault might lie within our own upbringing or oversight rather than external factors.
Related Phrases
మంచివాడు మంచివాడంటే, మంచమంతా కంతలు చేసినాడు.
manchivadu manchivadante, manchamanta kantalu chesinadu.
When called a good man, he made holes all over the cot.
This proverb describes a situation where someone takes undue advantage of the praise or kindness shown to them. It refers to people who, when trusted or given freedom due to their 'good' reputation, end up causing damage or acting irresponsibly. It is used to caution against blind trust or to describe someone who lacks common sense despite being called 'good'.
కొన్నది వంకాయ, కొసరింది గుమ్మడికాయ
konnadi vankaya, kosarindi gummadikaya
Bought a brinjal, but asked for a pumpkin as a free extra.
This proverb describes a person who buys something very small or cheap but expects a disproportionately large or valuable item for free (kosaru). It is used to mock someone's unreasonable greed or lack of proportion in dealings.
కొన్నది వంకాయ, కొసరినది గుమ్మడికాయ
konnadi vankaya, kosarinadi gummadikaya
What he bought was a brinjal, what he got to boot was a gourd.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone demands or expects a free addition (bonus) that is far more valuable or larger than the actual item they paid for. It highlights greediness or unreasonable expectations in transactions.
మఘకు మానికంత చెట్టయితే, కార్తీకానికి కడవంత గుమ్మడికాయ.
maghaku manikanta chettayite, kartikaniki kadavanta gummadikaya.
If the plant is as small as a measuring bowl during the Magha rain, it will produce a pumpkin as large as a pot by Kartika.
This agricultural proverb highlights the relationship between seasonal rains and crop yields. It suggests that if a plant gets a good start during the Magha Nakshatram (rainy period), it will grow robustly and yield a massive harvest by the Kartika season.
నూరు తిట్టినా ఒక గుమ్మడికాయ ఇస్తే సరి
nuru tittina oka gummadikaya iste sari
Even if you scold a hundred times, it is enough if you give one pumpkin.
This proverb is used to describe someone who is willing to endure verbal abuse or harsh criticism as long as there is a tangible material gain or reward at the end. It highlights the preference for practical benefits over temporary insults.
దొర్లితే బండి, దొర్లకుంటే గుండు
dorlite bandi, dorlakunte gundu
If it rolls, it is a cart; if it doesn't, it is a boulder.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is indifferent or reckless about the outcome of an action. It implies a 'make it or break it' attitude, where one is willing to accept either complete success or total failure without much concern for the middle ground or the effort involved.
మద్దికాయలు మాటిడ్డ మాదిరి
maddikayalu matidda madiri
Like a person waiting for the fruits of a Terminalia arjuna tree.
This expression is used to describe someone who is waiting in vain or wasting time for something that will never happen. Legend has it that a fox waited under a Maddi tree for its fruit to fall, not knowing that the fruit stays on the tree even after drying, leading to a long and fruitless wait.
కడవడంత గుమ్మడికాయ అయినా కత్తిపీటకు లోకువ.
kadavadanta gummadikaya ayina kattipitaku lokuva.
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.
గుమ్మడికాయ దొరికిననాడు తర్పణం వదలినట్లు
gummadikaya dorikinanadu tarpanam vadalinatlu
Like performing an ancestral ritual on the day a pumpkin is found.
This proverb describes someone who is extremely stingy or opportunistic, performing a religious or social obligation only when the necessary materials (in this case, a pumpkin for ritualistic offerings) are obtained for free or by chance, rather than out of genuine devotion or at the proper scheduled time.
మంచివాడు మంచివాడంటే, మంచమెక్కి గంతులు వేశాడటా.
manchivadu manchivadante, manchamekki gantulu veshadata.
When he was called a good man, he jumped onto the cot and started leaping.
This expression is used to describe someone who takes undue advantage of others' kindness or praise. It refers to a person who, when treated with respect or leniency, behaves recklessly or exceeds their boundaries due to overconfidence or lack of discipline.