నువ్వులు పోసి, ఆవాలు వండమన్నట్లు

This proverb describes a scenario where someone is tasked with something impossible or extremely difficult given their current limitations. Sesame seeds are tiny and require dexterity to pick up; asking someone without fingers to eat them highlights a futile, frustrating, or mocking effort.

This expression is used to indicate that the result or output is directly proportional to the investment, effort, or resources put in. It is often used to tell someone that they get what they pay for, or that rewards are commensurate with the work performed.

This expression highlights that no matter how much experience or seniority one gains, they cannot escape basic chores or fundamental responsibilities. It is often used to describe situations where a person's status or age doesn't exempt them from hard work or routine tasks.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone who is already in a state of total loss or ruin is asked to perform a ritual or act that no longer matters. It signifies a point beyond recovery where additional small efforts or ceremonial gestures are futile, or when someone takes advantage of another's complete downfall to get a task done.

This proverb is used to emphasize the distinction between a product and its creator, or the resource and the person who manages it. It suggests that while the essence of something (like the oil) remains the same, the individuals handling it (the oil-pressers) can have different characters, methods, or intentions.

This proverb describes a situation where someone pretends to be innocent or needy while already possessing or hiding the very thing they are asking for. It is used to mock hypocritical behavior or someone who is being cunning by feigning ignorance to gain more.

Similar to ‘the devil citing the scripture’, which suggests that an evildoer may try to justify his evil actions, by cleverly citing the sacred books. It is defending the indefensible.

This proverb describes a situation where someone tries to make a threat or a 'sacrifice' that they are physically incapable of doing anyway. Since a person with handicapped or paralyzed hands cannot pick up tiny sesame seeds to eat them, threatening to 'boycott' eating them is meaningless and laughable. It is used to mock someone making empty threats or pretending to abstain from something they can't have in the first place.

This expression is used to show deep humility and respect towards all the great people who have contributed to a field or society. It was famously coined by Saint Tyagaraja in his Pancharatna Kritis. In daily life, it is used when one wants to acknowledge that they are standing on the shoulders of many predecessors or when honoring a large group of distinguished individuals without singling anyone out.

This expression is used to describe someone who is overly impatient or seeks immediate benefits from an action that takes time to bear fruit. It highlights the absurdity of wanting to share the results right after the initial effort is made, without allowing for the natural growth process.