శిష్యా శిష్యా నా కాళ్ళకు చెప్పులున్నాయా అంటే, నక్షత్రమండలం ఈ మధ్య కనబడలేదు అన్నాడట.

shishya shishya na kallaku cheppulunnaya ante, nakshatramandalam i madhya kanabadaledu annadata.

Translation

When [the Guru] said "O disciple! disciple! are there shoes on my feet? [the pupil] replied "I don't see them between this and the stars." The Guru and his pupil were both gluttons, but the disciple excelled his master. On one occasion when the Guru—who had eaten so much that he could not see his toes which were numb—asked his pupil to inform him whether his shoes were on, the latter—who was filled up to his neck and was obliged to keep his face towards the sky—replied as above. To have a belly up to one's mouth. (*Spanish*)

Meaning

This expression is used to describe an irrelevant or nonsensical response to a straightforward question. It highlights a lack of focus, poor communication, or someone being 'lost in the clouds' instead of addressing the immediate reality.

Related Phrases

When asked, 'Appiga, where are your slippers?', he replied, 'They are not visible in the sky'.

This proverb is used to describe a person who gives completely irrelevant or absurd answers to simple questions, often to evade a topic or due to sheer ignorance/absent-mindedness. It mocks someone looking for things in the most unlikely places or diverting a conversation with nonsense.

When the teacher asked his student to find his sandals, the student replied, 'Teacher, who ate less than you?'

This proverb describes a situation where someone gives an irrelevant, smart-aleck, or lazy excuse to avoid doing a task. It highlights the behavior of people who try to act clever or use logic-defying arguments to escape their responsibilities when asked for help.

Like toddy pots disappearing among ascetics

This expression is used to describe a situation where something supposedly forbidden or inappropriate is secretly consumed or stolen by people who pretend to be virtuous. It highlights hypocrisy, where those who claim to be holy or disciplined (sanyasis) are the ones secretly indulging in vices (drinking toddy), leading to the 'mysterious' disappearance of the items.

Like being in the middle of five fires

This expression describes a situation where a person is surrounded by overwhelming difficulties, intense pressure, or severe tests from all directions. It is often used to convey a state of extreme distress or being trapped in a highly stressful environment.

A disciple greater than his Guru.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a protege, student, or apprentice becomes more skilled, knowledgeable, or successful than their mentor. It is often used as a compliment to both the student's talent and the teacher's effective guidance.

Said of an insolent fellow.

When told 'punch my back, disciple', he replied 'who ate less than you?'.

This proverb describes a situation where someone gives a nonsensical or irrelevant reply to a simple request, or avoids work by engaging in pointless flattery/argument. It is often used when a student or subordinate tries to be over-smart instead of doing the task assigned by their mentor.

The disciples of Paramanandayya

This expression is used to describe a group of people who are exceptionally foolish, naive, or prone to making silly blunders while trying to be helpful. It originates from popular Telugu folklore about a teacher named Paramanandayya and his incredibly dim-witted yet loyal students.

A cuckoo among crows

This expression refers to someone who stands out as superior, talented, or graceful while surrounded by ordinary or inferior people. It is used to describe a person of quality in an environment where others lack that same refinement or skill.

Like being in the middle of five fires

This expression describes a situation where a person is surrounded by severe difficulties or intense pressure from all directions. It is derived from the 'Panchagni Tapas', an ancient penance where a person sits amidst four fires with the sun as the fifth fire above. It is used to describe someone facing an extremely challenging or unbearable environment.

A disciple worthy of the teacher

This expression is used to describe a student or follower who is a perfect match for their teacher, often inheriting both their skills and their traits (positive or negative). It is similar to the English idiom 'Like father, like son' or 'A chip off the old block', specifically applied to a mentor-mentee relationship.