పాటిమీద దేవరకు కూటిమీదే లోకం

This expression is used when a person narrowly escapes a misfortune or when an object is broken/lost instead of a person getting hurt. It signifies that the bad luck or evil eye intended for the person was absorbed by the earth or a material object, resulting in a sense of relief.

This proverb describes someone who is more interested in the perks or rewards of a job rather than the duty itself. It is used to mock people who pretend to be pious or professional but are actually focused solely on their personal gain or their next meal.

This traditional proverb highlights the different roles family members play in a woman's life according to historical social norms. It suggests that while a husband is a woman's primary companion and focus during her lifetime, a son is seen as the one who ensures her spiritual salvation and peace in the afterlife through the performance of last rites and rituals.

This proverb describes a person who is so desperate or single-minded about their basic needs (like food or money) that they lack self-respect or discipline. It is used to point out someone's narrow-minded obsession with material gain or survival above all else.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely greedy or obsessed only with food and selfish needs, regardless of their status or position. It implies that someone's focus is entirely on basic sustenance or material gain rather than their duties or higher purpose.

This expression is used to describe a situation that is extremely risky, precarious, or requires great skill and caution to handle without causing a disaster. It is synonymous with 'walking on a tightrope' or 'skating on thin ice'.

This proverb highlights that investing effort or resources in an unproductive or unsuitable environment will yield no results. Just as farming on dry, elevated mound soil (pati) is futile because it cannot hold water, working on a flawed plan or in a hopeless situation will not even cover basic necessities.

This expression describes a person who lives a carefree, irresponsible, or nomadic lifestyle without any domestic stability or worries. It refers to someone who eats whenever they find food (stored in an 'Utti' or rope-net basket) and sleeps wherever they happen to be in the village, essentially living without any definite home or plan.

This expression is used to describe a person who, despite having important responsibilities or a high status, is solely focused on their personal gain or basic needs (like food or money). It highlights a lack of dedication to one's duty in favor of selfish interests.

This proverb is used to describe someone who is excessively focused on their own needs, particularly food or self-interest, rather than their duties or surroundings. It refers to a local deity (Ganganamma) who, instead of focusing on her devotees or spiritual role, is preoccupied only with the offerings provided to her.