పాము చావకూడదు, బడితె విరగకూడదు

pamu chavakudadu, badite viragakudadu

Translation

The snake should not die, and the stick should not break.

Meaning

This proverb describes a situation where one seeks a solution that resolves a conflict or achieves a goal without causing harm to anyone involved or damaging the resources used. It is used when suggesting a balanced, diplomatic, or 'win-win' approach to a delicate problem.

Related Phrases

An elephant breaking its leg and a mosquito breaking its wing are the same.

This proverb highlights that pain and suffering are subjective. What may seem like a small loss to a powerful person can be a fatal blow to someone small or weak. In terms of impact on their respective lives, both tragedies are equally debilitating. It is used to teach empathy, suggesting that we should not dismiss others' problems just because they seem minor compared to ours.

He neither dies nor gives up the mat.

This expression refers to a person who is neither performing a task nor stepping aside to let someone else do it. It is used to describe a stubborn or obstructive person who occupies a position or resource without being productive, effectively blocking progress for everyone else.

An elephant breaking its leg and a mosquito breaking its wing are equal.

This expression means that suffering and pain are relative to the individual. Just as a broken leg is a catastrophe for a massive elephant, a broken wing is equally fatal or devastating for a tiny mosquito. It is used to suggest that one should not belittle another's problems just because they seem small in scale; for the person experiencing it, the hardship is total.

Hit in such a way that the stick doesn't break and the snake doesn't die.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a problem needs to be solved or a task accomplished without causing any damage or loss to the parties involved. It refers to finding a diplomatic or clever middle ground where the objective is achieved while maintaining perfect balance and avoiding negative consequences.

He would neither die nor give up his bed.

This expression is used to describe a situation or a person that is stuck in a state of limbo, causing prolonged distress or inconvenience to others. It refers to a problem that doesn't get resolved but continues to linger, or a person who occupies a position without being productive, preventing others from taking over.

He won't allow the snake to die, and he won't allow the stick to be broken.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one seeks a diplomatic or clever solution to a problem that resolves the issue without causing loss, damage, or hurting any parties involved. It refers to maintaining a delicate balance or handling a conflict so skillfully that the task is accomplished without any negative consequences.

Applied to a trimmer.

The snake should not die, and the stick should not break.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a problem needs to be solved or a task needs to be completed without causing any damage, loss, or negative consequences to either party involved. It refers to finding a perfect, diplomatic, or tactful middle ground where the objective is achieved with zero risk or collateral damage.

He is at the age when he can tread on and break a date- thorn. Said of an unruly scamp.

This expression refers to the peak of youth and physical vigor. It describes a stage in life where a person is so energetic and strong that they feel invincible, to the extent of being able to crush sharp thorns under their feet without fear or harm.

The loss of a wing is the same to a mosquito as the loss of a leg to an elephant. Proportionate losses.

This proverb highlights the relativity of loss or suffering. Even though an elephant's injury seems physically larger, the impact of the loss is equally devastating to the individual mosquito. It is used to emphasize that every living being's pain is significant to themselves, regardless of their size or status.

He neither lets one die nor lets one live.

This expression is used to describe a person or a situation that is extremely suffocating or harassing. It refers to someone who keeps others in a state of constant misery, preventing them from progressing or finding peace, yet not letting them completely abandon the situation.