ముండ పెంచిన కొడుకు - ముకుదారం లేని కోడె

This traditional proverb emphasizes the importance of a proper upbringing, parental guidance, and legitimate social standing in shaping a person's character and future success. It suggests that without the discipline and moral foundation provided by parents, one cannot achieve great heights or leadership roles. It is often used to highlight that a lack of proper mentorship leads to a lack of merit.

This proverb highlights that certain things are meaningless or futile without their core essential element. Just as a poem is dry and unappealing without 'rasa' (emotion/aesthetic flavor), a job or service is useless if it does not provide 'grasam' (sustenance/livelihood). It is used to describe a situation that lacks its primary purpose or reward.

This proverb emphasizes that every effect must have a cause. Just as a traditional sweet is incomplete without its stuffing and a wedding feels incomplete without music, every event or action in life is inevitably linked to a prior reason or motive. It is used to suggest that nothing happens by pure chance without an underlying reason.

This proverb highlights that fate or luck favors two extremes: either those who have nothing to lose and must work extremely hard (the widow's son) or those who are born with immense privilege (the king's son). It is used to describe how people at the very bottom of the social ladder and the very top often end up being the most successful or influential, albeit for different reasons.

This proverb highlights that a job or position that doesn't provide enough income for basic survival is useless and lacks dignity. In traditional context, a mustache was seen as a symbol of pride and honor for a man; similarly, a job's primary purpose is to provide livelihood, and without that, it holds no value or respect.

This proverb highlights the importance of having influence or survival skills to navigate the world. A king's son has power and resources through his status, while a widow's son is often perceived as someone who has grown up tough, resourceful, and street-smart out of necessity. It implies that to succeed or get things done, one needs either authority or grit.

This proverb reflects a cynical or traditional social observation about how sons often change their priorities or distance themselves from their parents after getting married. It is used to express the disappointment of parents who feel neglected by their sons due to the influence of their wives (daughters-in-law).

This proverb emphasizes that relying on a single resource or individual is risky. Just as a single tree cannot provide the shade or abundance of an entire forest/grove, having only one child (in a traditional context) or one plan was seen as precarious because if that one fails, there is no backup or support system.

This proverb suggests that a child raised without proper discipline or parental guidance (traditionally implying the absence of a father figure or a strict guardian in a historical context) will grow up to be uncontrollable and reckless, just as an ox without a nose rope cannot be steered or restrained.

This proverb is used to describe a biased attitude where parents overlook their own son's faults or give him excessive credit while being overly critical, dismissive, or demanding toward the daughter-in-law. It highlights the unequal treatment and double standards often found in family dynamics.