తమ వంశ గౌరవాన్ని గుర్తించుకొనునవి గాడిదలు మాత్రమే.

tama vamsha gauravanni gurtinchukonunavi gadidalu matrame.

Translation

Only donkeys remember their pedigree/ancestry.

Meaning

This is a sarcastic expression used to criticize people who boast excessively about their lineage or high birth without having any personal merit or achievements. It implies that true value comes from one's own character and actions rather than ancestral status.

Related Phrases

Respect ends where begging begins

This expression is used to convey that a person loses their dignity and self-respect the moment they start begging or asking others for favors or money excessively. It emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and the fragility of one's reputation.

Thinking that poetry is grass, all the donkeys started grazing on it.

This expression is used to criticize people who lack taste or intelligence yet try to consume or critique high art or intellectual work. It implies that when something refined (like poetry) is treated as a common commodity, unqualified people (metaphorically called donkeys) will rush to ruin or disrespect it without understanding its true value.

An ass is an ass, a horse is a horse.

This expression is used to emphasize that things or people have inherent qualities that cannot be equated. It highlights that no matter how much one tries to compare two things of different nature or caliber, they will always remain distinct in their value or utility. It is often used to remind someone that a lesser person or object cannot replace a superior one.

Honor not given by the husband, pampering not done by the mother.

This expression refers to something that is impossible to obtain or non-existent. It highlights that if a husband doesn't respect his wife and a mother doesn't pamper her child, one cannot expect to find those feelings from anyone else in the world. It is used to describe a situation where the most basic or essential support is missing.

Even if it carries sandalwood, a donkey is still a donkey.

This proverb means that external appearance or the company of greatness does not change one's inherent nature or lack of intelligence. It is used to describe someone who lacks wisdom or refinement despite being in a prestigious position or possessing valuable resources.

Where the sun cannot see, the poet can.

This expression highlights the immense power of a poet's imagination. It suggests that while sunlight is limited by physical boundaries and reaches only the external world, a poet's intuition and creativity can penetrate the darkest corners, the deepest human emotions, and abstract concepts that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

Education is not in my house, and the evening prayer (tradition of learning) is not in my lineage.

This expression is used to humorously or self-deprecatingly describe a person or family with absolutely no history of education or intellectual background. It implies that for generations, no one in the family has been literate or scholarly. It is often used when someone fails to understand basic concepts or shows complete ignorance towards learning.

Like a donkey trying to do a dog's job

This expression is used when someone tries to perform a task that is not within their expertise or role, often resulting in failure or chaos. It highlights the importance of sticking to one's own responsibilities and strengths.

A donkey is a creature that has neither pride in its ancestry nor hope for its future offspring.

This expression is used to describe a person who lacks self-respect, ambition, or concern for their legacy. It characterizes someone who lives purely in the moment without any sense of responsibility toward their heritage or their future, often used to mock someone's indifferent or stubborn attitude.

Even if you pour sandalwood powder on it, a donkey remains a donkey.

This proverb is used to describe a person who cannot change their inherent nature or lack of refinement, regardless of how much wealth, education, or luxury is bestowed upon them. It suggests that external appearances or decorations cannot hide one's true character or stupidity.