సవాకోటి లింగాలలో నా బోడి లింగం

savakoti lingalalo na bodi lingam

Translation

Among a crore and a quarter Shiva Lingas, my small/bald Linga.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe a situation where an individual or a small entity is lost or goes unnoticed in a massive crowd or a vast collection. It signifies insignificance or the lack of individual identity when part of a huge group.

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.

When called 'flower-like maiden' (Pubodi), she replied 'Who is bald? Your mother is bald, your sister is bald'.

This proverb describes a situation where an ignorant person takes offense at a compliment or a sophisticated term because they misunderstand its meaning. 'Pubodi' is a poetic term for a beautiful woman (flower-like body), but the person in the proverb hears 'Bodi' (bald/shaven head) and reacts with insults due to their lack of vocabulary and quick temper.

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.

When told 'Jangamayya, your house is on fire', he replied 'My begging bag and bowl are with me anyway'.

This proverb describes a person with a detached or nomadic mindset who has very few worldly attachments. It is used to describe someone who remains unbothered by a major loss (like a house) because their most essential possessions or their source of livelihood are safe. It can also imply a sense of indifference or lack of responsibility towards larger properties or societal structures.

The man [weighs] a seer and a quarter, the lingam [round his neck] two and a half.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where the maintenance, cost, or burden of an object exceeds the value or capacity of the person owning it. It highlights an imbalance where the accessory or responsibility is larger/heavier than the main subject.

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.

The Jangams of Gudipudi

This expression refers to a group of people who lack unity and act according to their own individual whims. It originates from a story where a group of 'Jangams' (mendicants) in the village of Gudipudi couldn't agree on a common task, leading to chaos. It is used to describe a situation where a lack of coordination or conflicting opinions among members of a group leads to failure or inefficiency.

When the Jangam was told that the house had caught fire, he replied "I have my bag and bowl with me." Selfish indifference.

This proverb describes a person who is completely detached or indifferent to a situation because they have no personal stake or property at risk. It is used to remark on individuals who remain unconcerned about a general disaster or collective loss because their own minimal belongings are safe, or to describe those who prioritize their small interests over a major catastrophe affecting others.

When someone said the whole village is bald, she replied 'Your mother is bald, your sister is bald'.

This proverb is used to describe a person who lacks common sense or the ability to understand general context. Instead of understanding that a statement refers to a collective group (including themselves), they take it as a personal insult and react defensively by insulting the speaker back.

For a widow who has cast off social norms, Veeresalingam is the savior; for a person who has become desperate or reckless, the stirring ladle itself is the deity.

This proverb highlights how people's perspectives and sources of refuge change based on their circumstances. Historically, it refers to social reformer Kandukuri Veeresalingam who supported widows, implying that those in specific distress look for specific saviors. The second part suggests that once a person loses all fear or becomes completely desperate (or reckless), they cease to care about formalities or sacredness, treating even a common kitchen tool (ladle) as a god. It is used to describe people who have reached a point where they no longer care about social consequences or traditional norms.