సర్వేజనా సుఖినోభవంతు అంటే, సర్వే వాళ్ళేనా, మా సంగతేమి అన్నారట రెవెన్యూ వాళ్ళు

sarvejana sukhinobhavantu ante, sarve vallena, ma sangatemi annarata revenyu vallu

Translation

When it was said 'Let all people (Sarvejana) be happy', the Revenue department people supposedly asked 'Only those in the Survey department? What about us?'

Meaning

A humorous wordplay on the Sanskrit prayer 'Sarvejana Sukhinobhavantu' (May all people be happy). It satirizes bureaucracy and narrow-mindedness by depicting Revenue officers misinterpreting 'Sarve' (meaning 'All') as the 'Survey' department, showing their concern only for their own professional group rather than the common good.

Related Phrases

A policeman for a rogue, a survey for the illiterate.

This proverb suggests that certain types of people can only be managed or controlled by specific challenges. Just as a rowdy person is disciplined by a policeman, an uneducated person is often perplexed or 'put in their place' by complex tasks like land surveys or bureaucratic documentation that they cannot comprehend.

Did you see my widow aunt at the Antarvedi festival?

This expression refers to a situation where someone asks an irrelevant or foolish question in the middle of a massive crowd or a significant event. It is used to mock someone who expects others to notice a specific, unimportant detail amidst chaos or a large gathering where such a task is nearly impossible.

When told 'The community hall is on fire, O ascetic!', he replied 'The burning charcoal is in my armpit anyway'

This proverb describes a person who is so overwhelmed by their own personal problems or immediate suffering that they remain indifferent to a larger disaster occurring around them. It is used to highlight situations where an individual's private misery makes them insensitive to external communal or public crises.

May all people be happy

This is a universal prayer or blessing from Sanskrit commonly used in Telugu culture. It expresses a selfless wish for the well-being, peace, and prosperity of all humanity, regardless of their background. It is often recited at the end of prayers, social gatherings, or speeches to promote universal harmony.

Even the goddess of pestilence passes over the woman un- loved by her husband. Because her misery cannot be augmented; death would only release her from her sufferings. Māri or Māriyamma (Sans. Māri) is the fury supposed to preside over the small-pox and other epidemiological diseases. You cannot damage a wrecked ship. (Ilanan.)

This proverb is used to describe a person who is so unfortunate or troublesome that they are rejected by everyone, including their own family and even fate. It signifies a state of total abandonment or being an outcast whom nobody wants to take responsibility for.

Music is a universal language

This expression highlights that music transcends cultural, linguistic, and geographic boundaries. It suggests that melodies and rhythms can be understood and felt by everyone, regardless of the language they speak, making it a medium that connects all of humanity.

What does a frog in a well know about the ocean?

This proverb is used to describe a person with a narrow-minded perspective or limited knowledge who thinks their small world is everything. It suggests that someone with restricted experience cannot comprehend the vastness or complexity of the world outside their own environment.

When great people are under the feet, what is the fate of a leaf plate?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where even highly influential or powerful people are suffering or being crushed, implying that common people or those of lower status stand no chance at all. It highlights total chaos or a hierarchy of suffering.

The scholar says 'May all the worlds be happy', while the doctor says 'Ill health is the greatest fortune'.

This is a satirical proverb or 'sameta' highlighting how different professions view the world based on their personal gain. While a wise person prays for universal well-being, a doctor's livelihood depends on people falling ill. It is used to mock people who find profit in others' misfortunes or to point out conflicting interests in society.

When asked 'Son-in-law, when did you arrive?', he replied 'Shall I tell you about the Vadas cooked last night?'

This proverb is used to describe someone who inadvertently reveals a secret or exposes their own guilt while trying to answer a simple question. It refers to a situation where a person's guilty conscience or preoccupation with a hidden act leads them to give an irrelevant, self-incriminating answer.