తిలా పాపం తలా పిడికెడు

tila papam tala pidikedu

Translation

A sesame seed of sin for each, a handful for everyone.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a group of people collectively share the responsibility or blame for a wrongdoing. It implies that even if an individual's contribution to a bad deed is small (like a sesame seed), when everyone participates, the collective sin becomes large, and everyone must bear their portion of the consequence.

Related Phrases

Sesamum seed always takes away sin, [give them ] a hand- ful a head.

This expression is used sarcastically to describe people who use a religious or moral justification to indulge their greed or over-consume something. While the first part is a religious sentiment about the purifying nature of sesame seeds, the second part humorously demands a large quantity for everyone, highlighting human selfishness under the guise of piety.

Tila is the Sesamum Indicum. A jocose proverb, half Sanscrit, half Telugu.

Not even a grain stalk for the crow, not even a handful for the hen.

This expression describes an extremely stingy person or a situation of absolute scarcity where someone refuses to help others, even in the smallest way. It highlights a lack of generosity even towards those who need very little.

Abuse me as much as you like, I've got my handful of grain out of you. Said by a beggar who had received alms and abuse together. When you have given me roast meat, you beat me with the spit.

This proverb highlights that verbal abuse, insults, or empty arguments have no material value and cannot provide sustenance or productivity. It is used to suggest that wasting time on petty bickering or foul language is useless because it doesn't result in anything tangible or beneficial like food or wealth.

* Strookt geen rosen voor varkens.

A handful of wealth for the river.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where money is spent on something completely useless or lost in a way that provides no return. Just as throwing a handful of money into a flowing river is a waste, it refers to futile expenditures or lost investments.

When a husband as big as a mountain passed away, she cried for a handful of hair.

This proverb is used to describe a person who ignores a massive loss and instead focuses on or complains about a trivial, insignificant matter. It highlights a lack of perspective or misplaced priorities during a crisis.

I have determined on being liberal, bring a handful of grain.

This proverb is used to mock people who make grand, boastful promises of generosity or bravery when they actually possess nothing or have very little to offer. It highlights the irony of someone acting like a great philanthropist while asking others for basic necessities.

Acquaintance is a handful of money.

This proverb highlights the value of having contacts, awareness, or specific knowledge. It suggests that knowing someone or knowing 'how' things work is as valuable as having physical money in your hand, emphasizing that social networking and information are assets.

A handful of sesame seeds for each person's sin.

This expression is used when a group of people are collectively responsible for a mistake or a bad outcome. It implies that every individual involved shares a small portion of the blame or the consequences, much like everyone taking a handful of sesame seeds used in certain rituals.

The child is a handful, but the hunchback is a basketful.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where a person's defects, faults, or problems are much larger than the person themselves. It is often applied to small individuals who have surprisingly large issues or when a minor task comes with a disproportionately large burden of complications.

No amount of verbal abuse is equal to a handful of blows.

This proverb emphasizes that physical actions or consequences are far more impactful than mere words or verbal insults. It suggests that while insults can be ignored or forgotten, physical force or practical implementation has a reality that words cannot match. It is often used to say that talk is cheap and doesn't compare to physical reality or punishment.