వేసేవి పులిగురకలు, మేసేది గడ్డిపరకలు

vesevi puligurakalu, mesedi gaddiparakalu

Translation

The roars are of a tiger, but the eating is of grass blades.

Meaning

This proverb is used to describe a person who boasts or shows off a lot (like a fierce tiger) but lacks the actual capability or substance to back it up (eating only grass). It refers to someone who talks big but has poor results or a weak reality.

Related Phrases

Performing prayers to Shiva, but speaking only lies.

This proverb describes hypocrisy. It is used to refer to people who pretend to be extremely pious or virtuous through rituals, yet their character and actions (like lying) are deceptive and dishonest.

Spouting morals while digging pits

This expression is used to describe a hypocrite who preaches high moral values and ethics to others but performs harmful or malicious actions in practice. It highlights the disparity between someone's virtuous words and their deceitful deeds.

Living a poor life, but getting royal diseases.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone with very limited financial means or a humble lifestyle suffers from expensive problems or high-maintenance ailments that they cannot afford to manage. It highlights the irony of having a 'poor' status but 'rich' troubles.

Performing holy Magha baths, but entering nomadic huts.

This proverb is used to criticize hypocrisy or double standards. It refers to someone who outwardly performs pious acts (like the ritualistic holy baths in the month of Magham) but privately engages in base, immoral, or contradictory behavior. It describes people who maintain a virtuous facade while their actions are unethical.

He gives himself the airs of a great man, but begs for alms, and is angry if he gets none.

This proverb is used to describe a person who puts on grand airs or acts superior while actually depending on others' charity, and further exhibits entitlement by getting angry when their demands are not met. It highlights the irony of having a big ego despite being in a position of dependency.

A man living in poor style, attacked by king's diseases. A poor man having to meet great expenses quite beyond his means— The cure of the disease alluded to costs much money.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone with very limited financial means or a humble lifestyle ends up with problems, expenses, or health issues that are typically associated with the wealthy or are disproportionately expensive to handle. It highlights the irony of having a 'poor man's income' but 'rich man's troubles.'

Turk, stain, turn them over and chop.

This is a rhythmic folk saying or a tongue twister emphasizing that certain things (originally referring to stains on clothes or tough situations) need to be handled thoroughly from both sides to be resolved. In a modern context, it is often used as a playful rhyming phrase or to suggest that one should be relentless in tackling a problem.

Doing mistakes, but getting angry when pointed out.

This proverb describes a person who consistently makes errors or acts wrongly, yet becomes defensive and angry when someone tries to correct them or give advice. It is used to highlight hypocrisy or an inability to accept constructive criticism.

His employment is the worship of Śiva, but his words are lies.

This proverb describes a person who pretends to be very religious, pious, or moral on the outside while engaging in dishonest or deceitful behavior in reality. It is used to point out hypocrisy and the contrast between a person's outward show of devotion and their actual character.

A hypocrite. Much praying, but no piety. Beads about the neck and the devil in the heart. ఛ.

While one person does the work, another one grazes (enjoys the fruits).

This proverb describes a situation where one person puts in all the hard labor or effort, but the rewards or benefits are unfairly reaped by someone else who did nothing. It is commonly used to express frustration over exploitation or unequal distribution of results.