పాడికుండ పగులగొట్టుకొన్నట్లు

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone loses a significant reward or ruins a great effort for the sake of a very small, insignificant temptation. It refers to someone who observes a strict religious fast but breaks it just to lick a tiny bit of food left on a serving spoon, thereby losing the spiritual merit of the entire endeavor for a trivial gain.

This proverb is used when someone makes a mistake or causes damage while performing a simple task and tries to justify it or shift the blame. It highlights that being given a responsibility does not give one the license to be reckless or destructive. It is often used to criticize someone who oversteps their bounds or acts carelessly while doing a favor.

This is a humorous proverb used to describe someone giving nonsensical, contradictory, or impossible instructions. It mocks people who demand results while imposing conditions that make the task impossible, or those who speak in riddles that lack practical logic.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone realizes they are significantly weaker, less durable, or less capable than their opponent and chooses to withdraw to avoid certain destruction. It highlights the vulnerability of the weak (clay) when faced with the unshakable strength of the powerful (stone).

This proverb warns against being penny-wise and pound-foolish. It describes a situation where someone chooses a cheaper or easier option to save money (like paying a smaller bride price), only to suffer much greater losses or damages later due to the inherent flaws or lack of suitability of that choice. It is used when a shortcut or cheap solution leads to expensive consequences.

This proverb refers to someone who blames the tool or the medium instead of addressing their own flaws or the root cause of a problem. It describes a situation where a person reacts irrationally to an unpleasant truth by attacking the messenger or the source of information rather than fixing themselves.

This proverb highlights that persistent, gentle, and quiet efforts can often achieve what brute force and loud confrontation cannot. It is used to describe how patience and consistency can overcome even the hardest obstacles or toughest people, similar to how soft roots can split massive boulders over time.

This expression is used to describe an action that is done very quickly, decisively, or loudly. Just as smashing a clay pot full of hard betel nuts against a stone results in a sudden, sharp, and total shattering, this refers to saying something bluntly or finishing a task with sudden force without any hesitation.

This proverb describes double standards and hypocrisy in judging actions based on who performs them. It is used when a person in authority or power excuses their own mistakes as trivial or unavoidable while magnifying the same mistakes made by subordinates or others.

This expression is used to describe someone who gets overly excited or carried away by a small amount of praise and ends up hurting themselves or causing damage through over-enthusiasm. It serves as a warning against being reckless or losing one's head due to flattery.