తాను పతివ్రత అయితే, బోగమింట కాపురము ఉంటే ఏమి?

tanu pativrata ayite, bogaminta kapuramu unte emi?

Translation

If she herself be virtuous, what though she dwell in the house of a harlot? If a man be upright it matters not if he be among bad men.

Meaning

This expression suggests that if a person's character and integrity are truly strong, their surroundings or the company they keep cannot corrupt them. It is used to emphasize that inner purity and principles are independent of external environment.

Related Phrases

If you are rich, will you eat your gold ? A man, however rich, can only live by food, like other men.

This proverb is used to emphasize that basic necessities like food are the same for everyone, regardless of their wealth. It suggests that money cannot buy everything and that even the richest person must eat simple grains to survive, reminding people to remain humble and practical about the value of wealth.

A household as grand as Kanchi becoming like prickly shrubs.

This expression is used to describe a situation where a prosperous, large, or stable family/business falls into complete ruin or gets scattered due to internal conflicts or misfortune. It highlights the drastic downfall from extreme wealth to total destruction.

Like saying the King's wife is a faithful woman.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone states something that is universally obvious, undisputed, or redundant. It suggests that certain things are so well-established by status or common knowledge that pointing them out is unnecessary or serves as a sarcastic commentary on stating the obvious.

A faithful wife from the Pakanadu region

This is a sarcastic or idiomatic expression used to describe someone who pretends to be extremely virtuous, modest, or disciplined on the outside but lacks those qualities in reality. It is often used to mock hypocritical behavior or someone putting on an act of excessive righteousness.

My chastity is known to my first husband. Said by a widow who had passed herself off as a maid, and married again.

This is a sarcastic or ironic expression used to mock someone who is boasting about their integrity or loyalty when their past actions clearly prove otherwise. It highlights a contradiction where someone claims to be virtuous despite having a history of failure or betrayal. It is often used to expose hypocrisy.

If the wind is limping, calling it a horse.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone makes an absurd or highly exaggerated claim that defies common sense. It highlights the tendency of some people to give grand names or qualities to things that are fundamentally weak, broken, or non-existent.

An old woman is a faithful wife.

This proverb is used to describe a person who claims to be virtuous or disciplined only because they no longer have the capacity or opportunity to be otherwise. It suggests that some people's 'goodness' is merely a result of their circumstances or age, rather than a genuine choice. It is often used sarcastically to call out hypocrisy in those who act righteous after their prime years of mischief.

The body is a residence of troubles.

This expression suggests that the human body is naturally prone to various ailments, pains, and physical struggles. It is often used in a philosophical or weary context to describe how aging or illness is an inevitable part of physical existence.

One should either stay where they are born or live in their parents' home.

This expression emphasizes the importance of stability and having a secure home base. It is often used to suggest that if one cannot succeed or find peace elsewhere, it is best to return to one's roots or parental home where there is unconditional support and safety.

Where there is sin there will be fear, where there is low ground there will be water.

This proverb highlights natural consequences. Just as water naturally flows and settles in low-lying areas (slopes), guilt or fear naturally follows a person who has committed a wrong act. It is used to describe how a guilty conscience is always fearful of being caught or punished.