ముష్టికి మూడు సంచులు

mushtiki mudu sanchulu

Translation

Does a beggar want three bags ? Applied to an ostentatious display unsuited to a man's position.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a person who has excessive or grand requirements for a very small or humble task. It highlights the irony of someone who, despite being in a position of seeking help or doing something minor, demands or carries more tools than necessary.

Related Phrases

One without a bag gets no alms, one without a pure mind gets no salvation.

This proverb emphasizes that preparation and intention are necessary for results. Just as a beggar cannot receive charity without a container to hold it, a person cannot achieve spiritual liberation or success without the right mindset and sincerity. It is often used to highlight that internal readiness is as important as external effort.

Like saying, 'I will go for alms once my brother arrives'

This proverb describes a person who is excessively lazy or dependent. It refers to someone who waits for someone else's arrival or help to perform even a basic task or to seek their own livelihood, showing a lack of initiative and a tendency to procrastinate.

Begging is a three-fold agriculture.

This proverb humorously suggests that begging is a more reliable or easier way to survive than farming. It implies that while agriculture is dependent on seasons and labor, a beggar can find success through three means: persistent asking, wandering, or evoking sympathy. It is often used to comment on people who prefer dependency or easy paths over hard labor.

If the seed bags are good, then the money bags will be full.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of quality input for a successful outcome. In an agricultural context, it means that using high-quality seeds leads to a bountiful harvest and financial prosperity. Generally, it serves as a metaphor that if you invest in good resources or build a strong foundation, the rewards will be significant.

Three bags for a handful of alms?

This proverb is used to criticize someone who makes excessive preparations or carries unnecessary gear for a very small or trivial task. It highlights the disproportion between the effort/equipment and the actual result.

Among the fists, the fist of charity.

This expression is a play on words using 'Mushti' (which can mean both 'a fist' and 'begging/alms'). It highlights the ironic situation where someone who is already poor or a beggar themselves tries to help another beggar. It is used to describe an act of charity performed by those who have very little to give, emphasizing that even the smallest act of kindness from the poor is significant.

Like a person who has been poor for three generations coming to beg.

This proverb is used to describe someone who, despite having long-standing experience in a state of lack or misfortune, still manages to be clumsy, greedy, or inefficient when an opportunity finally arises. It often refers to someone who doesn't know how to handle a situation even after being in it for a very long time, or someone whose deep-rooted habits make them over-eager in a way that is counterproductive.

That profit and this loss are equal.

This proverb is used when the pleasure or satisfaction derived from an action is completely offset or negated by the resulting loss or trouble. It describes a break-even situation where the gain was not worth the cost, or where the damage done balances out the enjoyment felt.

Alms within alms, righteous alms

This expression refers to a situation where someone who is already in a state of seeking help or living on charity decides to share a portion of what they have received with someone even more needy. It signifies an act of extreme generosity or charity performed by a person who themselves has very little.

Like going to beg for alms and then complaining that it wasn't satisfying.

This proverb is used to describe someone who is receiving something for free or through charity, yet complains about the quality or quantity of what they received. It highlights the irony of a person in a dependent position showing ungratefulness or having unrealistic expectations.