పూజా పునస్కారాలు లేక బూజెక్కి ఉన్నానుగాని నైవేద్యం పెట్టి చూడు నా మహిమ చూపిస్తానన్నాడట

puja punaskaralu leka bujekki unnanugani naivedyam petti chudu na mahima chupistanannadata

Translation

I am covered in cobwebs because there are no prayers or rituals, but offer me some food and see how I show my power, said the deity.

Meaning

This expression is used to describe someone who blames their lack of success or performance on a lack of resources or opportunities. It mocks people who claim they would be great if only they were given favors or benefits first, often used when someone is making excuses for their current state of neglect or laziness.

Related Phrases

Having put the lamp in the wind, he prays "O God! show thy power."

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone takes an unnecessary risk or acts carelessly, and then expects a miracle or divine intervention to prevent a disaster. It highlights the folly of not taking basic precautions and blaming fate or expecting God to fix self-inflicted problems.

Offering the molasses in the bazar to the idol in the temple.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone tries to gain credit or do a favor using someone else's resources without spending their own. It refers to making promises or performing acts of charity using things that do not belong to you.

Naivédyam is the ordinary oblation. Willing to be liberal at the expense of others.

Adorn the child and look at it, whitewash the wall and look at it.

This proverb highlights how external adornments can dramatically enhance natural beauty. Just as a plain wall looks bright and beautiful after being whitewashed, a girl looks exceptionally radiant when adorned with jewelry. It is used to describe the transformative power of decoration and grooming.

While I am crying because I have nothing, do you expect a ritual offering?

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is asking for a favor or a gift from a person who is already in deep financial distress or lacking basic necessities themselves. It highlights the irony of demanding something from someone who has nothing to give.

Jaggery in the shop is offered to the Shiva Lingam in the temple.

This proverb is used to describe a person who tries to be generous or charitable using someone else's resources or property. It refers to a situation where someone takes credit for a donation or an act of kindness without actually spending their own money or making any personal sacrifice.

One who does not cultivate will not even find enough for an offering.

This proverb emphasizes the importance of hard work and agriculture. It implies that if a person is lazy or refuses to work the land, they will end up so poor that they won't even have the minimal amount of food required to offer to God in prayer. It is used to highlight that survival and prosperity depend on labor.

While the idol in the temple was in want of Naivêdyam, the priest cried for Puḷihôra. Puḷihôra is a more expensive offering prepared with acid.

This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone makes selfish or excessive demands when the basic necessities are not being met. It highlights the irony of someone worrying about their personal luxuries or specific desires in a moment of extreme scarcity or crisis where even the essentials are unavailable.

Should I stay small like a pot-rest for Kartika month? I will show my glory by Magha month.

This proverb refers to the gradual increase of cold weather. In the month of Kartika, the cold is mild and manageable (like a small pot-rest), but by the month of Magha, it becomes intense and powerful. It is used to describe situations or conditions that start small but eventually grow to their full, formidable strength.

Bring it to me and I will show you my miracle, he said.

This expression is used to describe someone who makes grand, empty promises or boasts about their capabilities, but only under the condition that someone else does the hard work first. It highlights a person's tendency to take credit for an outcome while contributing nothing to the effort required to reach it.

Offering the Molasses Gaṇēśa a bit nipped off his own person. Said of a stingy man.

This proverb describes a situation where someone tries to show generosity or perform a duty by using the resources that belong to the recipient themselves. It is used to mock people who act as if they are making a sacrifice when they are actually giving nothing of their own, similar to 'robbing Peter to pay Paul' or using someone's own money to buy them a gift.