వృద్ధ వైద్యం - బాల జోస్యం

This expression refers to an extremely embarrassing or awkward situation where one is forced to seek help from a close relative for a private or shameful problem. It highlights the discomfort and loss of dignity involved when personal matters cannot be kept secret due to necessity.

This proverb highlights the importance of proximity in different professions. It suggests that farming is best done in a fertile village (even if it's far), but medical help should be available in the village where one resides for immediate access during emergencies. It is used to discuss the strategic location of services based on necessity and convenience.

This proverb refers to a situation involving a personal or embarrassing problem that is kept hidden from the public, and is being handled by a close relative or a confidant in a secretive or potentially unqualified manner. It is used to describe matters that are kept 'within the family' to avoid social stigma, often implying that the solution might be makeshift or that the secrecy adds to the complexity of the issue.

This proverb highlights a traditional ideal for a prosperous and stable family. It suggests that if the father takes care of agriculture (ensuring food security) and the son becomes a doctor (ensuring health and income), the family will always have 'koodu' (food/sustenance) right in the middle or in abundance. It is used to describe a perfectly balanced and self-sufficient household.

This proverb highlights a recipe for complete ruin or waste. It suggests that if a father is a farmer and his son is a doctor, they might survive, but if they consume alcohol (or waste resources), everything they earn will be lost. It is often used to warn against addictive habits that destroy family legacies regardless of how hard the previous generation worked.

This proverb describes an extremely embarrassing or awkward situation where a problem is sensitive/private, but the person available to help is someone with whom one must maintain dignity and distance (like a son-in-law in Indian culture). It is used to refer to dilemmas where seeking help causes more shame than the problem itself.

This proverb is used to describe work that is of poor quality, unreliable, or amateurish. It refers to people attempting tasks for which they lack true expertise, resulting in something mediocre or untrustworthy. It is often used to mock someone's superficial skills.

This proverb emphasizes that any action or corrective measure should be taken only after thoroughly understanding the root cause of a problem. In ancient medicine, 'vatha' (branding/cauterization) was a treatment, but it was effective only if applied precisely on the affected joint. It is used to advise someone to act with precision and knowledge rather than blindly.

This proverb describes a situation of extreme embarrassment and awkwardness where one is forced to discuss or show a private, shameful problem to a relative with whom such intimacy is culturally inappropriate or taboo. It is used to highlight situations involving great hesitation and the inability to seek help due to the delicate nature of the relationship.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an amateur or someone with superficial knowledge tries to show off their skills in front of true experts or highly learned individuals. It highlights the irrelevance or inferiority of one's limited talent when compared to the profound expertise surrounding them.