Post No. 13,760
Date uploaded in London – 8 October 2024
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
There are more interesting stories from China that can be compared with Tamil or Marathi proverbs.
To break a butterfly upon a wheel .
Or
To kill a bird with ox butchering knife
is the proverb in far eastern and South East Asian countries. The equivalent Tamil proverb is
கோழி அடிக்கிறதற்குக் குறுந்தடி வேண்டுமா?
Is a club needed to kill a fowl?
In Japanese they say,
Gyuuto wo motte niwatori wo saku meaning
Taking an ox butchering knife to kill a chicken.
There is an interesting story from Confucius’ life
Confucius asked his former disciple Zi You,
Do you need rites and music to rule over a small place like Wu Cheng? Why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken?
Zi You answered, you told once that when the people rites and music they will live in peace and harmony. I have been following your instructions.
I was only joking, answered Confucius.
This reminds us of another story from the Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
“A serpent dwelt in a certain locality. No one dared to pass by that way; for whoever did so was instantaneously bitten to death by the serpent.
Once a holy man passed by. As usual the serpent pursued the sage with a view to biting him, but when it approached the holy man, it lost all kits ferocity and was overpowered by his gentleness. Seeing the snake, the holy man said,
‘Well, friend! Do you want to bite me?’ The snake was abashed and did not reply. At this the sage said again, ‘hearken friend, do not injure anyone in future’. The snake bowed and nodded assent.
After the sage, had hone his own way, the entered its hole, and began to live a life of innocence and purity without even wishing to harm anyone. In a few days, it became a common belief in the neighbourhood that the snake had lost all its venom and was no more dangerous, and so people began to tease it. Some pelted stones at it., and others dragged it mercilessly by the tail. Thus there was no end to its troubles.
Fortunately, sometime after, the sage again passed that way seeing the bruised and battered condition of the poor snake, was very much moved to pity and inquired about the cause of its distress.
At this the snake replied, Sir, I have been reduced to this state, because I Have not been injuring anyone since I received your instruction. But alas! they are so merciless!
The sage smilingly said, ‘Dear friend, I only advised you not to bite anyone, but I never asked you not to hiss and frighten others. Although you should not bite any creature, still you should keep everyone at a considerable distance from you by hissing’.
Similarly, if you live in this world, make yourself feared and respected. Do not injure anyone, but do not at the same time let others injure you.
Source:
Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai 600004
Chanakya says,
“Even a snake with no poison should raise its hood. Be there poison or not, the raising of the hood instils fear”—Chanakya Niti, Chapter 9, sloka/verse 10
Here is the verse in Sanskrit:-
nirvishenaani sarpena karthavyaa mahati fanaa
vishamastu na chaapyastu fanaayopo bhayankarah
Canakyaniti, Satya Vrat Shastri, Bharatiya Vidya Mandir, Kolkata
****
Cat and Bird Stories
A bird once wounded is afraid of a bow.
or
A bird wounded by an arrow will fall from a bang.
In Japanese hey say,
Shokyuu no tori wa kyokuboku ni odoroku meaning
A bird hurt by an arrow is frightened even by a crooked twig.
The Chinese story behind this proverb is
Gang Lei, a famous archer of the state of Wei, on an excursion noticed a wounded wild goose flying in the sky. He just twanged the string of his bow. The goose, hearing it, thought that it was again hit by an arrow and fell to the ground in front of them.
This reminds us of another story from the life of Tenali Rama.
சூடு கண்ட பூனை அடுப்பங்கரையில் சேராது .
The cat that has got fire burns will never go near the kitchen.
Tenali Ramakrishna was minister to a great king Krishna Deva Raya. Once in that city there was lot of problems due to rats. The ministers took the decision to provide one cat to every house and milk allowance to raise the cat . All people were happy and used to give cats lot of milk to drink.
Tenali Ramakrishna was a clever man. He decided not to give milk to cat. So the first day he boiled the milk and poured it in a pan. He gave the piping hot milk to the cat. The cat, which was hungry came and sipped the milk from the pan. Since the milk was hot it burnt its mouth. The cat ran away. Tenali Ramakrishna’s cat became skinny, and all other cats were fat and happy.
After a few months, the king wanted to see all the cats maintained properly. When the king saw Tenali’s cat, he was very angry with Tenali Ramakrishna for not raising his cat properly. Then Tenali Ramakrishna told the king that he was not lucky since his cat did not drink any milk. The king wanted to put Tenali Ramakrishna in Jail for telling a lie and wanted him to prove what he said.
Then Tenali Ramakrishna brought the pan of milk and his cat. The cat on seeing the milk ran away. It thought that it was being given again hot milk. The king pitied Tenali Ramakrishna and let him away. This is the story behind the proverb about cat that burnt its mouth.
*****
Thirsty Man digging a well
Must one dig a well to quench his thirst?
or
Have not your cloak to make when it begins to rain
or
Do not wait till you are thirsty to dig a well
0r
A thirsty man digs a well.
கிணறு வெட்டித் தாகம் தீர்க்கலாமா is the equivalent Tamil proverb.
In Marathi they say, Tahaana laagalyaavar vihiira khananen तहान लागल्यावर विहीर खणणें.
In Japanese they say,
Katsu ni nozomiteido wo horu meaning in the presence of thirst, one digs a well.
Chinese story for this proverb is
During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BCE) Duke Zao gang made grave mistakes, lost the confidence of the people of Lu and flee the country. He settled in Qi. After some time, he thought of returning to his country and rule. He consulted his minister, and he said, I don’t think so. Many people lost their way because they did not bother to ask their way or drowned while wading across the river because they did not ask about the depth of the river beforehand. This is like making weapons when the war has broken out and sinking a well when one is thirsty.
–subham—
Tags- Tamil, Japanese, Chinese, Proverbs, stories, Tenali cate, digging well, to kill a chicken, Marathi
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