# Indian proverbs

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Proverbs from all Indian speaking parts of the

## Quotes

* "What is the use of going to the hills in search of honey if it is available at home?" as a Sanskrit proverb says.
** Quoted from Swami Vivekananda, "The work before us" (Delivered at the Triplicane Literary Society, Madras), Complete Works, vol. 3
* सौ सोनार की, एक लोहार की (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Sau sunar ki ek luhar ki.
** A single blow of a blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of a goldsmith.
** "Things that need a hundred nuanced actions can be achieved with a single coarse action."
** Porter, William Henry (1845). Proverbs: Arranged in Alphabetical Order .... p. 22.
** Source: John Christian (1891). Behar proverbs. K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co., limited. p. 131.
* வெளுத்ததெல்லாம் பாலல்ல / மின்னுவதெல்லாம் பொன்னல்ல (Tamil)
** Transliteration: Velluthathellam Paal alla.
** All the things that are white are not milk.
** English Equivalent: All that glitters is not gold
** Kannada Equivalent: "bellage irodella halalla" (ಬೆಳ್ಳಗೆ ಇರೋದೆಲ್ಲ ಹಾಲಲ್ಲ.)
** M. Kaṇapatippiḷḷai, Tenpulōliyur. Payircit Tamil.Practical Tamil. p. 274.
* जान है तो जहान है(Hindi)
** Transliteration: Jaan hai to Jahan Hai.
** (If) there's life, then there's the world.
** English equivalent: After us, the deluge.
** Meaning: Only if you are alive, things matter.
** Source: Vihārilāla Mitra (1998). The Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha of Vālmīki. Parimal Publications. p. 294.
* जंगल में मोर नाचा किस ने देखा ? (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Jangal main mor nacha, kisne dekha?
** English equivalent: He was in Rome and did not see the pope.
** Source: India Today Volume 25. Thomson Living Media India Ltd.. 2000. p. viii.
* जिस की लाठी उस की भैंस (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Jis ki lathi usi ki bhains.
** Meaning: Whoever owns the lathi (a huge cane/stick) eventually owns the buffalo.
** English equivalent: Might is right.
** Source: S. W. Fallon; Sir Richard Carnac Temple; Faqir Chand (Lala.) (1998). A dictionary of Hindustani proverbs. Asian Educational Services. p. 119. ISBN 978-81-206-0663-0.
* जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी ॥
** Transliteration: Jananee janmabhoomischa swargaadapi gareeyasi. (Sanskrit)
** One's mother and homeland are greater than even heaven.
** Source: Ramayana (when Ravana's brother Bibhisan asks Rama to take charge of Lanka after defeating Ravana, Rama says the above words, indicating his willingess to return to his own kingdom)
* घर का भेदी लंका ढाये (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Ghar ka bhedi lanka dhaye.
** The insider who knows all the secrets can bring down Lanka (a very prosperous city in Hindu mythology)
** Meaning: Beware of the insider, for he can bring down the biggest setup (because of his insider knowledge).
** Bengali equivalent: ঘরের শত্রু বিভীষণ।
** Source: Sanjay Chadha (2004). Mantras Of Success. Ocean Books (P) Ltd.. p. 89. ISBN 978-81-88322-49-7.
* बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Bandar kya jaane adrak ka swaad.
** What does a monkey know of the taste of ginger?
** Meaning: Someone who can't understand can't appreciate (or) Someone without refined tastes cannot appreciate a fine thing.
** English equivalent: Laying pearls before swine.
** Bengali equivalent: চাষা কি জানে কর্পূরের গুণChasa ki jane karpurer gun
** Kannada equivalent: Kattheg enu gotthu Kasthuri parimala (A donkey would not know the scent of Kasthuri)
** Malayalam equivalent: Nallathe ariyo nayike (Does the dog know what's good)
** Marathi equivalent: गाढवाला गुळाची चव कायGaadhavala gulaachi chav kay (A donkey cannot appreciate the taste of jaggery)
** Tamil equivalent: கழுதைக்குத் தெரியுமா கற்பூர வாசனை ? - Kazhudaikku theriyuma karpoora vaasanai? (What does a donkey know about the fragrance of camphor?)
** Telugu equivalent: Gadida kemi thelusu Gandapu vasana (or) Pandi kemi thelusu panneru vasana.
** గాడిదకేం తెలుసు గంధపు వాసన? (లేదా)పందికేం తెలుసు పన్నీరు వాసన?
** Source: Henk W. Wagenaar; S. S. Parikh; D. F. Plukker (1993). Allied Chambers transliterated Hindi-Hindi-English dictionary. Allied Publishers. p. 79. ISBN 978-81-86062-10-4.
* अब पछताए होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गई खेत (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Ab pachhtaaye hote kya, jab chidiya chug gayi khet?’’
** What is the use of crying when the birds ate the whole farm?
** Meaning: There is no use crying over something that has already finished/happened.
** English equivalent: There is no use crying over spillt milk.
** Telugu equivalent: Chethulu kalaka akulu pattukunnattu
** Sanskrit equivalent: गोतोस्यो सोचोन नास्ति (यथा कर्मो तथा सस्ति)
** Source: Shyam Bahadur Varma, ed (2006). Encyclopaedia of Quotations. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 96.
* नौ सौ चूहे खाके बिल्ली हज को चली (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Nau sau chuhe khake billi haj ko chali.
** After eating 900 hundred rats, the cat goes to Hajj.
** Use: When a person starts behaving saintly or shows fake goodness after committing some very serious crimeshttp://urduboli.blogspot.com/2016/07/urdu-english-proverbs-2.html
** Source: (2007)"". Indian Literature 51 (240-242). Retrieved on 2012-02-01.</ref>
* आसमान से गिरे खजूर में अटके (Hindi)
** Literal: Fell from the sky, got stuck in a date palm.
** English equivalent: From the frying pan into the fire.
** Meaning: While trying to avoid a a bad situation one might end up in an even worse situation.
** Marathi equivalent: Aagitun fufaatyaat padane. आगीतून फुफाट्यात पडणे
** Tamil equivalent: வாணலிக்குத் தப்பி அடுப்பில் விழுந்தது போல (vANalikkuth thappi aduppil vizhundhathu pOla) (out of the frying pan, onto the stovetop)
** Telugu equivalent: Anna prasanannpude avakayi annam pettaru.
** Literal: A child is not fed with pickled rice at the time of naming ceremony.
** Baṛāyauda (1987). Jonokākajiko oṛoh kaji raah jugutuko. Jhārakhaṇḍa Pablikesansa. p. 1.
** "A drop hollows out the stone by falling not twice, but many times; so too is a person made wise by reading not two, but many books."
** (Giordano Bruno, Il Candelaio)
** S. W. Fallon; Faqir Chand (Lala.) (1998). A dictionary of hindustani proverbs: including many Marwari, Panjabi, Maggah, Bhojpuri, and Tirhuti proverbs, sayings, emblems, aphorisms, maxims, and similes. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0663-0.
* In Marathi, a very popular proverb goes as follows: Kashees jaave, nitya vadaave (Keep contemplating and stating every day that you will go to Kashi some day of your life; that might then just materialize).
** Vikram Sampath - Waiting for Shiva_ Unearthing the Truth of Kashi's Gyan Vapi-BluOne Ink (2024)
* सौ सोनार की, एक लोहार की (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Sau sunar ki ek lauhar ki.
** A single blow of a blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of a goldsmith.
** Meaning: Generally used to demonstrate the power of a strong person to a weak one.
** Source: John Christian (1891). Behar proverbs. K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co., limited. p. 131.
* வெளுத்ததெல்லாம் பாலல்ல / மின்னுவதெல்லாம் பொன்னல்ல (Tamil)
** Transliteration: Veluthathellam Paal alla.
** All the things that are white are not milk.
** English Equivalent: All that which is white is not milk.
** (Alternate): All that glitters is not gold
** Kannada Equivalent: "bellage irodella halalla" (ಬೆಳ್ಳಗೆ ಇರೋದೆಲ್ಲ ಹಾಲಲ್ಲ.)
* जान है तो जहान है(Hindi)
** Transliteration: Jaan hai to Jahan Hai.
** (If) there's life, then there's the world.
** English equivalent: After us, the deluge.
** Meaning: Only if you are alive, things matter.
** Source: Vihārilāla Mitra (1998). The Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha of Vālmīki. Parimal Publications. p. 294.
* जंगल में मोर नाचा किस ने देखा ? (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Jangal main mor nacha, kisne dekha?
** Who saw a peacock dance in the woods?
** Meaning: Even a very good thing will have to be made public, to be acclaimed by people.
** Source: India Today Volume 25. Thomson Living Media India Ltd.. 2000. p. viii.
* जिस की लाठी उस की भैंस (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Jis ki lathi usi ki bhains.
** Meaning: Whoever owns the lathi (a huge cane/stick) eventually owns the buffalo.
** English equivalent: Might is right.
** Source: S. W. Fallon; Sir Richard Carnac Temple; Faqir Chand (Lala.) (1998). A dictionary of Hindustani proverbs. Asian Educational Services. p. 119. ISBN 978-81-206-0663-0.
* जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी ॥
** Transliteration: Jananee janmabhoomischa swargaadapi gareeyasi. (Sanskrit)
** One's mother and homeland are greater than even heaven.
** Source: Ramayana (when Ravana's brother Bibhisan asks Rama to take charge of Lanka after defeating Ravana, Rama says the above words, indicating his willingess to return to his own kingdom)
* घर का भेदी लंका ढाये (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Ghar ka bhedi lanka dhayey.
** The insider who knows all the secrets can bring down Lanka (a very prosperous city in Hindu mythology)
** Meaning: Beware of the insider, for he can bring down the biggest setup (because of his insider knowledge).
** Bengali equivalent: ঘরের শত্রু বিভীষণ।
** Source: Sanjay Chadha (2004). Mantras Of Success. Ocean Books (P) Ltd.. p. 89. ISBN 978-81-88322-49-7.
* बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Bandar kya jaane adark ka swaad.
** What does a monkey know of the taste of ginger?
** Meaning: Someone who can't understand can't appreciate (or) Someone without refined tastes cannot appreciate a fine thing.
** English equivalent: Laying pearls before swine.
** Bengali equivalent: চাষা কি জানে কর্পূরের গুণChasa ki jane karpurer gun
** Kannada equivalent: Kattheg enu gotthu Kasthuri parimala (A donkey would not know the scent of Kasthuri)
** Malayalam equivalent: Nallathe ariyo nayike (Does the dog know what's good)
** Marathi equivalent: गाढवाला गुळाची चव कायGaadhavala gulaachi chav kay (A donkey cannot appreciate the taste of jaggery)
** Tamil equivalent: கழுதைக்குத் தெரியுமா கற்பூர வாசனை ? - Kazhudaikku theriyuma karpoora vaasanai? (What does Donkey know about the odor of Camphor?)
** Telugu equivalent: Gadida kemi thelusu Gandapu vasana (or) Pandi kemi thelusu panneru vasana.
** గాడిదకేం తెలుసు గంధపు వాసన? (లేదా)పందికేం తెలుసు పన్నీరు వాసన?
** Source: Henk W. Wagenaar; S. S. Parikh; D. F. Plukker (1993). Allied Chambers transliterated Hindi-Hindi-English dictionary. Allied Publishers. p. 79. ISBN 978-81-86062-10-4.
* अब पछताए होत क्या जब चिड़िया चुग गई खेत (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Ab pachhtaaye hote kya, jab chidiya chug gayi khet?’’
** What is the use of crying when the birds ate the whole farm?
** Meaning: There is no use crying over something that has already finished/happened.
** English equivalent: There is no use crying over spillt milk.
** Telugu equivalent: Chethulu kalaka akulu pattukunnattu
** Sanskrit equivalent: गोतोस्यो सोचोन नास्ति (यथा कर्मो तथा सस्ति)
** Source: Shyam Bahadur Varma, ed (2006). Encyclopaedia of Quotations. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 96.
* नौ सौ चूहे खाके बिल्ली हज को चली (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Nau sau chuhe khake billi haj ko chali.
** After eating 900 hundred rats, the cat goes to Hajj.
** Source: (2007)"". Indian Literature 51 (240-242). Retrieved on 2012-02-01.</ref>
* आसमान से गिरे खजूर में अटके (Hindi)
** Literal: Fell from the sky, got stuck in a date palm.
** English equivalent: From the frying pan into the fire.
** Meaning: While trying to avoid a a bad situation one might end up in an even worse situation.
** Marathi equivalent: Aagitun fufaatyaat padane. आगीतून फुफाट्यात पडणे
** Tamil equivalent: வாணலிக்குத் தப்பி அடுப்பில் விழுந்தது போல (vANalikkuth thappi aduppil vizhundhathu pOla)
** Telugu equivalent: Anna prasanannpude avakayi annam pettaru.
** Literal: A child is not fed with pickled rice at the time of naming ceremony.
** Baṛāyauda (1987). Jonokākajiko oṛoh kaji raah jugutuko. Jhārakhaṇḍa Pablikesansa. p. 1.
* बूँद-बूँद से घड़ा भरता है (Hindi)
** Transliteration: Boond-boond se ghara bharta hai.
** It takes drop by drop to fill a pitcher.
** English equivalent: Constant dropping fills the bucket
** Meaning: Persistence is the key to success
** Source for meaning of English equivalent: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "71". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 349. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.

## See also

* Romani proverbs