స్వపక్షపరపక్షనిర్ధూమధాముడు

This proverb highlights that quality is superior to quantity. In a practical sense, it means that one highly capable or virtuous person is more valuable than a vast number of mediocre or ineffective people. It is often used to emphasize the importance of having one strong leader or a single brilliant idea over many insignificant ones.

This expression is used to describe someone who lacks knowledge or skill in a particular area but excels in consumption or simple physical tasks. It highlights a contrast between a lack of intellectual depth ('illiterate') and a huge appetite or capacity for material indulgence. It is often used sarcastically to refer to someone who is more interested in eating than learning.

Refers to a series of extremely difficult, complicated, or unsolvable questions. It originates from the Mahabharata where a Yaksha poses 126 complex philosophical questions to Yudhishthira. In modern usage, it is used to describe a situation or problem that is very hard to answer or resolve.

This expression describes a hypocrite who pretends to be pious, virtuous, or godly by outward appearances or speech, but possesses a wicked and cruel nature internally. It is used to warn others about individuals who use religion or a 'good person' persona as a facade to hide their malicious intentions.

This proverb highlights the inherent bias or favoritism found even in the most fundamental figures of care. It is used to express that preference exists everywhere, suggesting that a mother might favor one child over another, just as the Earth might yield more fruitfully in one spot than another. It is often cited when someone feels treated unfairly or observes natural inequalities.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is uneducated or lacks intellectual depth (nirakshara kukshi) but has an insatiable appetite or a singular focus on material consumption. It suggests that for someone who doesn't spend time on learning or refinement, performing a task of indulgence—like eating a large number of sweets—is effortless and of no consequence.

Quality is far superior to quantity. This expression is used to emphasize that one exceptionally capable or brilliant person is more valuable than a vast number of mediocre ones. It is often used to describe a great leader, a talented child, or a single effective solution compared to many ineffective alternatives.

This expression means that a small flaw or a lapse in character can turn a virtue into a vice. It is used to caution people that maintaining one's good reputation or quality requires consistency, as even a minor deviation can lead to being perceived negatively.

There is a pun here on the word Lakshanam which as a noun signifies the ' rules of classic composition,' and as an adjective ' handsome.'—Ava- lakshanam means ' ugly,' ' deformed.'

This expression highlights that even the most selfless entities like a mother or Mother Earth can show partiality or favoritism. It is used to describe situations where one feels unfairly treated by someone who is expected to be neutral or unconditionally loving, suggesting that bias exists everywhere.

Originally referring to the mythical vessel given to Yudhisthira by Lord Surya which provided an unlimited supply of food, it is now used as a metaphor for any resource, person, or organization that seems to have a never-ending supply of wealth, knowledge, or talent.