సూది కోసం దూలం మోసినట్లు
sudi kosam dulam mosinatlu
Carrying a heavy wooden beam to search for a needle.
This expression is used to describe an act of extreme foolishness or disproportionate effort. It refers to situations where someone undertakes an incredibly difficult, bulky, or illogical task to achieve a trivial or small objective, often resulting in more trouble than the goal is worth. It originated from the stories of Paramanandayya's disciples who carried a heavy beam just to stick a needle into it so they wouldn't lose it.
Related Phrases
మీ గురువులు మా శిష్యులవద్దనే చదువుకొన్నారు.
mi guruvulu ma shishyulavaddane chaduvukonnaru.
Your Guru learnt from my pupils. Said in a disputation between two rival Pandits.
This expression is used to challenge someone's superiority or arrogance. It implies that the lineage of knowledge or skill of the speaker is much older and superior to that of the listener, suggesting that the listener's masters are merely novices compared to the speaker's tradition.
శిష్యా శిష్యా నా కాళ్ళకు చెప్పులున్నాయా అంటే, నక్షత్రమండలం ఈ మధ్య కనబడలేదు అన్నాడట.
shishya shishya na kallaku cheppulunnaya ante, nakshatramandalam i madhya kanabadaledu annadata.
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*)
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.
పాలకోసం పొదుగుకోసినట్లు
palakosam podugukosinatlu
Like cutting the udder for milk
This expression describes the actions of someone who, out of greed or impatience for an immediate small gain, destroys the very source of their long-term benefit. It is used when a person's short-sightedness leads to a permanent loss.
గురువుకు మించిన శిష్యుడు
guruvuku minchina shishyudu
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.
గురువుకు తగ్గ శిష్యుడు
guruvuku tagga shishyudu
A disciple worthy of his Guru. Both blockheads.
This expression is used to describe a student who is as capable, skilled, or talented as their mentor. It can be used positively to praise excellence or sarcastically to imply that the student has inherited the same flaws or bad habits as the teacher.
పరమానందయ్య గారి శిష్యులు
paramanandayya gari shishyulu
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.
సంకటి కోసం రాగులు గంజికోసం చోళ్ళు
sankati kosam ragulu ganjikosam chollu
Finger millets for the porridge, and Ragi for the gruel.
In Telugu, 'Ragulu' and 'Chollu' are synonyms for the same grain (Finger Millet). This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is being redundant, making unnecessary distinctions between identical things, or pretending to offer different choices that are actually the same.
మొండి గురువు, బండ శిష్యుడు
mondi guruvu, banda shishyudu
A stubborn teacher and a stone-like (insensitive) disciple.
This proverb describes a situation where both the mentor and the student are unyielding and lack synergy or wisdom. It is used to mock a duo or partnership where one person is obstinate and the other is thick-headed or unresponsive to learning, making any progress impossible.
గురువుకు తగిన శిష్యుడు
guruvuku tagina shishyudu
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.
ఆరికకోసిన చేతితోనే కందికోసినట్లు
arikakosina chetitone kandikosinatlu
As if harvesting pigeon peas with the same hand used to harvest kodo millet.
This expression is used to describe a situation where a person moves seamlessly from one task to another, or handles a new situation with the same ease or methods as a previous one. It often implies a sense of continuity in action or temperament, typically used when someone performs a second task immediately after the first without hesitation.