శంభో శంభో అంటే మూతివంకరపోయింది అన్నాట్ట

shambho shambho ante mutivankarapoyindi annatta

Translation

When someone said 'Shambho Shambho', another person remarked that their mouth became crooked.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a person who finds faults or makes cynical remarks about others' sincere or spiritual actions. It highlights the tendency of narrow-minded people to mock or criticize something good instead of appreciating the intent.

Related Phrases

Pine away day by day, Nâgambhoṭlu. Said to a hypocritical Brahman, who was neglected when his tricks became known.

This proverb is used to describe a situation, performance, or condition that is deteriorating over time instead of improving. It originated from a story where a person named Nagambhotlu performed progressively worse in his duties each day.

If one says 'Shambho Shankara' while dying

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone tries to fix a problem or seek redemption at the very last moment, often when it is too late for the effort to be meaningful or effective. It highlights the futility of eleventh-hour realisations or actions after a lifetime of neglect.

When he was at the point of death he cried "Śankara! Śankara!" (Siva.) Deathbed repentance.

This proverb is used to describe someone who waits until the very last moment or a crisis to seek help, turn to God, or do the right thing. It refers to a person who ignores their duties or avoids spiritual/ethical paths throughout their life, only to become desperately 'pious' or 'diligent' when they realize time has run out.

Just because you say 'Shankara Shankara', will your mouth become crooked?

This proverb is used to mock someone's irrational fear or superstition that performing a simple, good, or harmless act will lead to a ridiculous physical deformity or negative consequence. It is often used to encourage someone to stop making excuses and just do what is necessary.

"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 asked 'Oh Golden Linga, why did the eyes go blind?', the reply was 'Oh Shambhu Linga, it is due to past deeds/karma'.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where one's own past actions, mistakes, or negligence lead to inevitable consequences. It suggests that instead of questioning why a misfortune happened, one should recognize that it is a direct result of their own behavior or destiny (Karma). It is often used to emphasize accountability or the law of cause and effect.

The prophecy of Miḍatambhoṭlu. A man is said to have been given that name by a king for guessing that a grasshopper ( Miḍata ) was in the king's hand when the diviners were all at a loss. Making one's fortune by a lucky chance.

This expression refers to accidental success or a lucky guess that happens to come true by sheer coincidence. It is based on a folktale of a man named Midatambhotlu who, despite having no knowledge of astrology, makes random predictions that luckily turn out to be correct. It is used to describe situations where someone gets credit for a result that happened by chance rather than skill or genuine foresight.

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.

[ Seeing a hypocrite ] they cried out, “O Annambhotlu! purity! purity!” He answered “Alas! a dog has touched the big tank.”

This proverb is used to mock hypocritical or excessive obsession with ritual purity or rules. It suggests that while someone is fussing over minor details of cleanliness or tradition, a much larger, unavoidable 'impurity' or problem has already occurred, rendering their fussing pointless.

Like getting kicked on the buttocks and losing the teeth in one's mouth.

This expression is used to describe a situation where an action taken in one place has a severe, unexpected, or disproportionate consequence elsewhere. It can also imply a person being so thoroughly beaten or defeated that the impact is felt throughout their entire body, or metaphorically, an action that leads to a surprising and painful result.