న్యాయము తప్పినవానికి ఆచార్యకటాక్ష మెందుకు

nyayamu tappinavaniki acharyakataksha menduku

Translation

Why does one who has strayed from justice need the teacher's grace?

Meaning

This expression highlights that for someone who has abandoned righteousness, justice, or ethics, even the blessings or guidance of a great teacher (Guru) will be of no use. It implies that personal integrity is a prerequisite for receiving and benefiting from divine or scholarly grace.

Related Phrases

Though he is old he is still a fop.

This expression is used to describe someone who maintains their elegance, charm, or style despite growing old. It suggests that while physical youth may fade, one's poise and attractive demeanor remain intact.

One missed being born to the maternal aunt, the other missed being born to the mother.

This expression is used to describe two people who are equally wicked, cunning, or troublesome. It implies that there is no difference in their bad character; if one is bad, the other is slightly worse or just as bad. It is similar to saying 'two of a kind' or 'chips off the same block' in a negative context.

A 'kasu' for the one who gives excuses, and a 'duggani' for the one who thatched the house.

This proverb highlights unfairness in rewards or wages. It describes a situation where someone who does little work or offers only excuses receives more benefit (a kasu) than the person who performed the actual hard labor of roofing a house (who receives a lesser coin, a duggani). It is used to critique systems where talkers are valued more than doers.

Whether you deviate from the truth or deviate from a prescribed diet, troubles are inevitable.

This proverb highlights the importance of integrity and discipline. It suggests that just as ignoring medical dietary restrictions leads to physical suffering, abandoning truth and honesty leads to moral and social consequences. In both cases, the person must face the resulting hardships.

If sharpness is lost or if the season is missed, the tax is a waste.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of timing and preparedness in agriculture. If the tools aren't sharp or if the farmer misses the specific sowing window (season), the crop will fail, making the payment of land taxes a total loss. It is used more broadly to signify that performing a task without proper preparation or at the wrong time leads to wasted effort and resources.

Even if the word is missed, the rhyme must not be missed.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone prioritizes style, rhythm, or external appearance over the actual content or truth. In a literal sense, it refers to poetry where maintaining the rhyme (prasa) is seen as more important than the choice of words. In a general context, it refers to people who focus on sticking to a pattern or keeping up appearances even when the substance is lost.

What does a just man care for the favor of the priest? ప.

This expression suggests that for a person who lives an upright, moral, and righteous life, external blessings or divine/educational intervention are secondary. It emphasizes that following 'Dharma' (justice) is the highest form of virtue, and such integrity protects the person on its own without needing special favors or advocacy.

If the arrow misses, the ears won't hear; if the character is lost, the eyes won't see.

This proverb highlights the importance of focus and integrity. It suggests that once a person loses their moral compass or essential character (Guna), they become blind to the truth and reality around them, just as one might lose awareness of surroundings when a critical strike misses its mark.

If rice misses its cooking consistency or land misses its seasonal timing, they are of no use.

This proverb emphasizes the critical importance of timing and precision. Just as rice becomes unpalatable if not cooked to the right texture, agricultural land will not yield crops if the specific sowing season (adunu) is missed. It is used to suggest that opportunities must be seized at the right moment to be effective.

If Tâtâchâri's brand misses your shoulder, you'll catch it on the back. Tâtâchâri was a wandering priest who branded his converts. If a man slipped away his shoulder, the seal caught him in the back. Not being able to evade something disagreeable.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an outcome or a consequence is inevitable. No matter how much one tries to dodge or avoid a certain trouble, person, or responsibility, it will eventually catch up to them in one way or another.