వేపచేదు వండగానే బెల్లమగునా?

vepachedu vandagane bellamaguna?

Translation

Will the bitterness of neem turn into jaggery just by cooking it?

Meaning

This proverb is used to convey that an individual's inherent nature or character cannot be changed through external efforts or superficial modifications. Just as boiling neem leaves will never make them taste sweet like jaggery, a person with a fundamentally bad or stubborn disposition will not change their core traits easily.

Related Phrases

Will a goat be fasting just because it eats leaves?

This proverb is used to criticize hypocrisy or superficiality in religious or disciplined practices. It suggests that merely performing an action that looks like a sacrifice (like eating leaves/simple food) doesn't count as true fasting or devotion if it is simply one's natural habit or lacks the underlying intent. It is often applied to people who pretend to be pious or frugal by doing things that actually cost them nothing.

Mother is poison, wife is jaggery

This expression describes a situation where a person, influenced by their spouse, begins to view their own mother's advice or presence as toxic or bitter, while finding everything the spouse says to be sweet and desirable. It is used to criticize someone who neglects their parents after marriage.

Will a fruit which ripens not of itself ripen if you kick it? Advice is thrown away upon the headstrong.

This proverb is used to explain that certain things cannot be forced and require their own natural time to happen. Just as a raw fruit cannot be forced to ripen instantly through physical force or aggression, results in life often require patience and the right conditions rather than coercion.

Does staying in a forest simply because there are monkeys there constitute a great exile?

This expression is used to highlight that merely being in a difficult or secluded environment doesn't imply a noble sacrifice or a meaningful penance (Vanavasam). It suggests that the purpose and spirit behind an action matter more than the physical location or surroundings. It is often used to critique people who pretend to be ascetic or heroic without having the actual depth or commitment.

Just because someone says 'perish perish', nobody will actually perish.

This expression means that people do not face ruin or downfall simply because others wish it upon them or speak ill of them. It is used to suggest that ill wishes, curses, or malicious talk from others lack the power to cause real harm to a person's life or destiny.

[ Apply ] collyrium to your eyes while you have them.

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is being cheated or robbed in broad daylight, or right in front of their eyes while they are fully aware. It signifies extreme audacity or boldness in deception, suggesting that the thief or deceiver is so daring that they act even when the victim is watching.

Make use of your opportunities before they pass from you.

A festival amidst a waste or loss

This expression is used to describe a situation where an unexpected positive event or celebration occurs during a time of significant loss, waste, or overall failure. It highlights an ironic or small consolation in a losing situation.

Just because a crane closes its eyes, does it mean it is meditating on the gods?

This proverb is used to describe hypocrisy or false piety. Just as a crane stands still with its eyes closed not for prayer, but to patiently wait for a fish to hunt, some people act virtuous or religious only to hide their true selfish intentions or to wait for an opportunity to exploit others.

Does one become a great person just by breaking a lake's dam to cook fish for others?

This expression describes a situation where someone performs a small act of charity or kindness by causing a massive, irreversible destruction or loss. It is used to criticize people who seek praise for superficial favors that were achieved through destructive means or by ruining a greater resource.

If you write the word 'jaggery' on your palm and lick it, will it be sweet?

This proverb is used to emphasize that mere talk or writing about something is not a substitute for the actual experience or action. It highlights that practical results require real effort and substances, not just symbolic gestures or words.