Indian proverbs
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- Haathi ki ladai me ghass peesna.
taking ones benifits in others gruges.
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- सौ सोनार की, एक लोहार की (Hindi)
- Transliteration: Sau sunar ki, ek lauhar ki
- Literal: 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.
- जान है तो जहान है(Hindi)
- Transliteration: Jaan hai to Jahan Hai
- Literal: (If) there's life, then there's the world.
- 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?
- Literal: 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
- Whoever owns the lathi (a huge cane/stick) 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 ॥ (jananee janmabhoomischa swargaadapi gareeyasi) (Sanskrit)
- Literal: 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
- Literal: The insider who knows all the secrets can bring down Lanka (a very prosperous city in Hindu mythology)
- Translation: Beware of the insider, for he can bring down the biggest setup
- 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)
- Tranlisteration: Bandar kya jaane adark ka swaad
- Literal: What does a monkey know of the taste of ginger?
- Translation: 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: Katthegenu gotthu Kasthuri parimala (A donkey would not know the scent of Kasthuri)
- Malayalam equivalent: Nallathe ariyo nayike (Does the dog know whats 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)
- Tranlisteration: Ab pachhtaaye hote kya, jab chidiya chug gayi khet?
- Literal: What is the use of crying when the birds ate the whole farm?
- Translation: There is no use crying over something that has already finished/happened.
- 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.
