ముప్ఫయి మూడు కోట్ల దేవతలూ కూడి ముక్కు పట్టించగలరు గాని, నారాయణా అనిపించగలరా?
mupphayi mudu kotla devatalu kudi mukku pattinchagalaru gani, narayana anipinchagalara?
Thirty-three crores of gods joined together can make me hold my nose, but can they make me say Nârâyaṇa?
This expression highlights the limits of external force or coercion. While someone can physically force or restrain you (holding the nose), they cannot force your inner will, devotion, or speech if you are unwilling. It is used to suggest that true conviction or action must come from within and cannot be compelled by power alone.
You cannot make an ass drink if he is not thirsty. (French.)* You may force a man to shut his eyes but not to sleep. (Danish.)†
Related Phrases
అతుకు కనిపించదు అల్లుడా అంటే, కుంపటి కనుపించదు మామా అన్నాడట.
atuku kanipinchadu alluda ante, kumpati kanupinchadu mama annadata.
When the father-in-law said 'The patch is not visible, son-in-law', the son-in-law replied 'The furnace is not visible, father-in-law'.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where two people are equally matched in their cunning, wit, or flaws. It illustrates a 'tit-for-tat' scenario where one person tries to point out a subtle mistake or hide something, only for the other person to point out an even bigger or equally relevant issue. It signifies that one cannot easily fool someone who is just as smart or experienced as they are.
ముప్పై ఆరు జుట్లు కూడతాయి గానీ, మూడు కొప్పులు కూడవు
muppai aru jutlu kudatayi gani, mudu koppulu kudavu
Thirty-six loose hairs can come together, but three buns (braids) cannot.
This proverb is used to describe the difficulty of achieving harmony among women or strong-willed individuals in a single household. It suggests that while many men (represented by loose hair) might reach an agreement or coexist easily, even a small number of women (represented by tied buns/hairstyles) will have conflicting opinions or friction, making it hard for them to get along peacefully.
ముప్పది మూడు కోట్ల దేవతలు ముక్కు పట్టించగలరు గానీ, నారాయణా అనిపించగలరా?
muppadi mudu kotla devatalu mukku pattinchagalaru gani, narayana anipinchagalara?
Thirty-three crore gods can make you hold your nose, but can they make you say 'Narayana'?
This proverb highlights that while external force or authority can compel a person to perform physical actions or rituals (like holding one's nose during prayer), it cannot force genuine devotion, belief, or speech from the heart. It is used to suggest that true willingness and internal conviction cannot be coerced by outside pressure.
ముక్కు పట్టని ముత్యము
mukku pattani mutyamu
A pearl that does not suit the nose.
This expression is used to describe something that is excessively large, disproportionate, or ill-fitting for its intended purpose. It can also refer to a person who is too proud or important for a specific role, or someone who is beautiful but difficult to manage.
మూడు మూరల ఒక చుట్టు, ముప్పై మూరల ఒక చుట్టు.
mudu murala oka chuttu, muppai murala oka chuttu.
Three cubits once round, thirty cubits once round [ the body ]. A woman on being given cloths of different lengths, complained in each case that the cloth would go only once round her body. Not to be satisfied.
This proverb refers to efficiency and laziness. It describes a situation where one person wraps a rope or cloth carefully in small, precise loops (three cubits), while another person, out of laziness or haste, wraps it in huge, messy loops (thirty cubits) just to finish the job quickly. It is used to criticize sloppy work done without attention to detail.
పాలు పిండగలముగాని, తిరిగి చంటిలోకి ఎక్కించగలమా?
palu pindagalamugani, tirigi chantiloki ekkinchagalama?
We can milk the udder, but can we put it back in?
This expression is used to signify that certain actions are irreversible. Once something is said or done, it cannot be undone or taken back, emphasizing the importance of thinking before acting or speaking.
తలరాతను ఎవరూ తప్పించలేరు
talaratanu evaru tappinchaleru
No one can escape what is written on their forehead (destiny).
This expression refers to the belief in fate or karma. In Telugu culture, it is believed that Brahma writes a person's destiny on their forehead at birth. It is used to express that certain events in life are inevitable and cannot be changed despite one's best efforts.
అని అనిపించుకోవలెనా అత్తగారా?
ani anipinchukovalena attagara?
O mother-in-law, should you accuse me and bring a reproach on yourself in return ?
This expression is used sarcastically or ironically when someone tries to cover up their obvious mistakes or bad behavior by pretending to be concerned about their reputation. It originates from a folk story where a daughter-in-law behaves poorly and then asks if she deserves the bad name she is getting, highlighting hypocrisy.
Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
ముప్పై తట్టల పేడ మోసే పోలికి, మూడు పుంజాల దండ బరువా?
muppai tattala peda mose poliki, mudu punjala danda baruva?
Would a necklace of three skeins of thread be heavy for Pôli who carries thirty baskets of cowdung ?
This proverb is used to point out that a person who regularly handles massive responsibilities or very difficult tasks will not find a minor or trivial task to be a burden. It highlights the contrast between major hardships already overcome and a small additional effort being requested.
నోరు ముయ్యగలరు గాని, లోకమును ముయ్యగలరా?
noru muyyagalaru gani, lokamunu muyyagalara?
You may cover the mouth of a pot but can you cover up the world? You may shut one man's mouth, but you cannot shut the mouth of the world.
This expression means that while you can silence an individual or hide a secret from one person, you cannot stop the entire world from talking or gossip from spreading. It is used to suggest that public opinion is beyond anyone's control.
* Homme chiche janala riche.