రామాయణమంటే ఏమో అనుకున్నాను గానీ, మోత బరువు ఉన్నది అన్నాడట

ramayanamante emo anukunnanu gani, mota baruvu unnadi annadata

Translation

When I heard of the Râmâyana I did not know what it was, but [I find] it is the weight of a man.

Meaning

This expression describes a person who completely misses the intellectual or spiritual essence of a subject and only notices its physical or superficial aspect. It is used to mock someone who shows ignorance despite being exposed to something profound or great.

Related Phrases

" O blanket where are you?" said he " Where you left me, you madman," it replied. A smart repartee.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where there is no progress or change despite effort or passage of time. It highlights stagnation, laziness, or a repetitive cycle where things remain exactly as they were initially. It is often used to mock someone who asks for status updates when no action has been taken to move things forward.

Listening to the whole Ramayana and then asking how Sita is related to Rama.

This proverb is used to describe a person who, despite listening to a lengthy explanation or being present throughout an event, fails to understand the most basic or fundamental point. It highlights extreme ignorance or lack of attention.

" When a man gets up and sits on a man, the weight kills me" said he. A stupid lout was persuaded by his wife to go and hear the Rāmāyaṇa read as she thought it might improve his mind. While standing leaning his head on his stick, a scamp got upon his shoulders and sat there. The blockhead thought this was a necessary part of the performance. When he returned home he was asked how he liked the Rāmāyaṇa and replied as above.

This proverb is used to mock people who pretend to be overworked or burdened when they are actually doing very little or carrying something weightless. It highlights the irony of those who complain about trivial efforts as if they were monumental tasks.

A dog's tail is crooked; it said it won't change its nature.

This expression is used to describe a person who refuses to change their inherent bad habits or character, regardless of how much advice they receive or how much effort is made to reform them. It is similar to the English proverb 'A leopard cannot change its spots'.

When one said "Kādu, Kādu" the other said "Nādi, Nādi."

This proverb describes a situation where someone persistently tries to claim ownership or credit for something even after being explicitly told it doesn't belong to them or is incorrect. It is used to mock people who are shamelessly stubborn or opportunistic despite being rejected.

Kādu in Telugu means " it is not," "no;" in Tamil it signifies " the ear." A Telugu man on one occasion accidentally stuck the barb of his spear into a Tamilian's ear, on which the latter cried out "Kādu! Kādu!" ( My ear! my ear! ) The Telugu man thinking he meant to say " Not yours, not yours" pulled at the spear all the harder, saying "Nādi! Nādi!" (It's mine! it's mine!). Said to a man who is obstinate in argument.

Even after taking up monkhood, the weight of the shoulder-pole is unavoidable.

This proverb suggests that no matter how much one tries to renounce responsibilities or change their lifestyle to escape hardships, some form of duty or physical struggle is inevitable. It is used when someone realizes that changing their situation hasn't freed them from basic labor or life's inherent burdens.

When he said "[The sight of] your cooking makes me sick," she replied "Please stay and eat your dinner before you go."

This proverb is used to describe a sarcastic or ironic situation where a person's excuse to avoid a task or a place is met with an even more inconvenient or absurd demand. It highlights the lack of empathy or total misunderstanding of someone's discomfort, or a situation where someone is forced to endure exactly what they are trying to escape from.

There is a remedy for disease, but is there a remedy for fate?

This proverb is used to express that while physical ailments or problems can be cured with medicine or effort, the outcomes of destiny or fate are inevitable and beyond human control. It is often said when someone faces an unavoidable misfortune despite taking all precautions.

He said, 'I don't mind that he ran away with my wife, but I am afraid he might address her disrespectfully in public.'

This proverb is used to mock someone who prioritizes trivial matters or social prestige over a major loss or a fundamental crisis. It describes a situation where a person ignores a significant disaster but worries about minor etiquette or how things look to others.

There is the village and here is my cup. Said by a beggar.

This expression is used to describe a state of complete carelessness, detachment, or having nothing to lose. It implies that as long as there is a society to live in and a basic means to survive (even by begging), one need not worry about responsibilities or property. It is often said by or about people who are wandering or living a carefree, nomadic life without any attachments.