పచ్చికుండలో నీళ్ళు పోసి, నీ పాతివ్రత్యం తెలుస్తుంది అన్నట్లు

pachchikundalo nillu posi, ni pativratyam telustundi annatlu

Translation

Like saying, 'Pour water in an unbaked clay pot to prove your chastity'

Meaning

This proverb describes setting an impossible or rigged task as a test of someone's character or ability. An unbaked clay pot (pachikunda) will naturally dissolve or leak when water is poured into it, regardless of the person's virtue. It is used when someone is being unfairly tested or when the failure of a task is inevitable due to the tools provided.

Related Phrases

When the father dies, one understands management; when the mother dies, one understands household responsibilities.

This proverb highlights the specific roles parents play in a family. It suggests that a child only truly understands the burden of authority and financial responsibility once the father is gone, and the intricacies of managing a home and family bonds once the mother is gone.

Living family life in a marketplace; a prostitute claiming chastity.

This proverb is used to describe highly contradictory or impossible situations. It highlights the hypocrisy of someone claiming to possess a virtue or a lifestyle that is completely inconsistent with their environment or profession. Just as one cannot maintain a private, peaceful family life in the middle of a noisy, public market, it is considered ironic for a sex worker to claim the traditional virtues of a 'pativrata' (a chaste, devoted wife).

The chastity of a Shankini woman.

This expression is used sarcastically to describe someone who pretends to be virtuous or loyal while their true character is quite the opposite. In traditional literature, a 'Shankini' is categorized as a type of woman with negative traits; hence, claiming she is a paragon of chastity is an oxymoron used to mock hypocrisy.

Like pouring water into a leaky pot.

This expression is used to describe a situation where effort, resources, or advice are wasted on someone or something that cannot retain them. It signifies a futile or useless action where despite the input, there is no result because the vessel (recipient) is fundamentally flawed.

Like saying the King's wife is a faithful woman.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone states something that is universally obvious, undisputed, or redundant. It suggests that certain things are so well-established by status or common knowledge that pointing them out is unnecessary or serves as a sarcastic commentary on stating the obvious.

Like pouring water into a leaky pot

This expression is used to describe a situation where effort or resources are being completely wasted on something that cannot be salvaged or retained. It refers to a futile action where despite continuous input, there is no result or progress because the foundation is fundamentally flawed or broken.

A home's appearance reveals the housewife's beauty.

This proverb suggests that the cleanliness, organization, and upkeep of a home are a direct reflection of the character, competence, and management skills of the person in charge of it. It is used to emphasize that true beauty or worth is seen in how one maintains their responsibilities and environment.

An old woman is a faithful wife.

This proverb is used to describe a person who claims to be virtuous or disciplined only because they no longer have the capacity or opportunity to be otherwise. It suggests that some people's 'goodness' is merely a result of their circumstances or age, rather than a genuine choice. It is often used sarcastically to call out hypocrisy in those who act righteous after their prime years of mischief.

Like an old widow starting to practice extreme chastity.

This proverb is used to mock someone who suddenly adopts moral values or strict discipline in their old age after having lived an irresponsible or immoral life in their youth. It describes hypocrisy or a late-life conversion to virtue that lacks true merit because the person no longer has the opportunity or strength to commit the sins they once did.

Like placing a lamp in a heavy wind and claiming its survival is due to one's own virtue.

This proverb is used to describe someone who takes personal credit for an outcome that was actually a result of pure luck or external circumstances. It mocks people who boast about their greatness or 'powers' when they have done something foolish or risky and happened to succeed by chance.