పురోగమనానికి అతృప్తే ప్రథమ సోపానం

purogamananiki atripte prathama sopanam

Translation

Dissatisfaction is the first step to progress.

Meaning

This expression suggests that progress or improvement only begins when one is dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. If someone is completely satisfied, they lack the motivation to innovate or move forward. It is often used to encourage ambition and the drive for change.

Related Phrases

If given during fasting, it descends to the restricted diet level.

This proverb is used to describe an extremely stingy person. It suggests that if someone is so miserly that they hesitate to provide even the bare minimum during a period of total fasting (lankanam), they will certainly compromise or reduce the quality further when it comes to a regular restricted diet (pathyam). It implies that a person's stingy nature remains constant or worsens regardless of the necessity.

The time between an introduction and the first kiss is called ideal love.

This expression suggests that the period of anticipation, emotional discovery, and platonic connection before physical intimacy is the most romantic or 'ideal' phase of a relationship. It is often used to highlight the beauty of the courtship period.

If everything goes well, there is no luxury like an illness.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a minor ailment allows a person to enjoy undivided attention, rest, and care from others without having to fulfill daily responsibilities. It implies that being sick can be a 'luxury' only when one has the resources, help, and comfort to manage it comfortably.

If you touch it, it is a thorny bush.

This expression refers to a person or a situation that is best left alone because any interference will lead to unnecessary trouble or a series of complications. It is used to describe irritable people or messy problems that 'sting' or 'prick' when disturbed.

First to dinner, last to bathe. The first at dinner gets the best of the fare, the last to bathe gets the best supply of warm water.

This expression is used to describe a person who is very eager and first to arrive when it is time to eat, but very lazy or hesitant when it comes to hygiene, work, or taking a bath. It highlights a character that prioritizes pleasure over duty or cleanliness.

Is it possible in yoga (self-restraint) what exists in bhoga (sensual enjoyment)?

This expression is used to highlight the contrast between a life of asceticism or discipline (Yoga) and a life of indulgence or pleasure (Bhoga). It suggests that the comforts and pleasures found in a luxurious lifestyle are not present in a disciplined, spiritual path, or vice versa, emphasizing that one must choose their path based on their priorities.

A Tamil mother-in-law and a Prathama-shakha father-in-law.

This proverb is used to describe a household or a situation where things are extremely difficult or unmanageable due to the conflicting or difficult temperaments of the people involved. Historically, in a specific social context, these two groups were stereotyped as being particularly strict or hard to deal with, and their combination in one house was considered a recipe for domestic misery.

By the time of Ratha Saptami, the chariots are said to turn.

This expression refers to the astronomical shift that occurs during the festival of Ratha Saptami, marking the change in the Sun's course (Uttarayana). In a broader sense, it is used to describe a seasonal turning point or a significant shift in time or direction.

Before the meal, after the bath

This expression refers to the sequence of daily routines or the priority of tasks. It is often used to describe someone who is very punctual or eager for food (being first at the table) but perhaps less enthusiastic about chores or preparation (being last to bathe). In a broader sense, it highlights a tendency to prioritize personal comfort or enjoyment over effort.

The effort of Bhagiratha

Refers to a Herculean task or an extraordinary, persistent effort to achieve something nearly impossible. It originates from the mythological story of King Bhagiratha, who performed intense penance for years to bring the river Ganges from the heavens to Earth.