పేరు గురులింగమంటే, ఉన్న మూడు లింగాలు గాక ఇదెక్కడదన్నాడట

peru gurulingamante, unna mudu lingalu gaka idekkadadannadata

Translation

When someone was named Gurulingam, another asked 'Besides the three lingas we already have, where did this new one come from?'

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a person who is extremely literal-minded, dull-witted, or lacks the common sense to distinguish between a proper name and an actual object. It satirizes people who get confused by terminology and ask foolish questions instead of understanding the context.

Related Phrases

When someone said 'Somalingam, Somalingam', he asked, 'Is he Ramalingam's son?'

This proverb is used to describe a person who is completely out of touch with the context or topic of conversation. It signifies a person who asks an irrelevant or foolish question after listening to a whole explanation, showing they haven't understood a single word.

Like saying 'where is my blow' even when there are a hundred crore Shiva Lingas.

This expression is used to describe a person who is hyper-focused on their own specific loss or grievance, even in the midst of an overwhelming situation or a vast number of other things. It highlights a self-centered or narrow-minded perspective where one ignores the larger context and only looks for their own tiny contribution or concern.

Out of a billion Shiva Lingas, he asked to look for his bald one.

This expression is used when someone makes a ridiculous or impossible request for personal attention or recognition in a massive crowd or a very large collection. It highlights the absurdity of expecting something insignificant or ordinary to be singled out among millions of similar, or superior, entities.

"O Kanakalingam ! how did you lose your eyes ?" asked one; "The result of my deeds, O Śambhulingam!" replied the other. An evasive answer.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone tries to hide their mistakes or incompetence by blaming it on fate, karma, or destiny. It specifically refers to people who give philosophical or fatalistic excuses for problems they likely caused themselves, or when someone avoids giving a direct answer to a straightforward question about their failures.

When one said 'Oh Lord Shambulinga, this is the destiny I have created for myself', the response was 'Oh Abbulinga, there is no way out but to endure it'

This proverb emphasizes the law of karma and accountability. It suggests that one must inevitably face the consequences of their own actions, whether good or bad. It is used in contexts where someone is complaining about their self-inflicted troubles, highlighting that regret is futile and one must endure the results of their past choices.

When asked, 'Oh Shambhulingama, is it the field's fate?', the reply was, 'Oh Abbulingama, it must be endured.'

This proverb is used to describe a situation where suffering or consequences are inevitable regardless of whose fault it is. It highlights the philosophy of karma and the necessity of facing one's destiny or the results of a situation without any way to escape it.

Among a hundred crore lingas, where is my bald linga? he asked.

This proverb describes a situation where someone's small mistake, identity, or problem gets completely lost or hidden within a massive crowd or a large volume of similar things. It is used when a person realizes that in the grand scheme of things, their specific issue is insignificant or cannot be easily identified among thousands of others.

When asked 'O Kanakalinga, why did you lose your eye?', he replied 'It is the result of my past deeds, O Shambulinga'.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone tries to hide their mistakes or incompetence by blaming it on fate or karma. It highlights a circular or evasive way of answering where instead of giving a direct reason for a failure, one attributes it to destiny to avoid accountability.

There are no thieves greater than those who wear the Lingam (religious symbols).

This expression is used to critique religious hypocrisy. It suggests that people who put on outward displays of piety or wear religious symbols (like the Lingam) can sometimes be the most deceitful, using their holy appearance as a cover for their dishonest actions.

Shambulingam's lid/cap, Ramalingam's magic trick

This expression refers to a situation involving deceit, manipulation, or a clever trick where one person creates an illusion or cover-up (kuppekattu) while another performs a deceptive act (kanikattu). It is often used to describe two people conspiring together or to mock someone performing meaningless rituals or suspicious activities that lack substance.