Wisdom through Aphorisms!
Culture 101: Unpacking local sayings.
How about some local wisdom handed down through the ages?
Literal Saying: In which plate you eat; in the same, you make a hole.
Creating a hole (dent) in your favorite meal plate.
Meaning: Betraying or being disloyal to your family, friends, and anyone or any place that you depend on for your sustenance, support, friendship, or love.
Usage: Accuse someone of betraying you and showing poor values, judgment, and untrustworthiness.
Literal Saying: Whose stick, his buffalo!
The buffalo belongs to the person with the stick.
Meaning: The one with the power (stick), owns the asset. Power here can mean, wealth, influence, or control of any sort. [May be considered similar to ‘Possession is 9/10ths the law,’ but not quite. ]
Usage: Similar to history written by those in power, an issue gets resolved in favor of the person in charge. For instance, leaders enact rules that favor them (redistricting, anyone? :-) ).
Literal Saying: Come Ox; Me, Hit.
Invite an ox to gore you by provoking it.
Meaning: Asking for trouble. Inviting unwanted or unfortunate effects (usually low-key ones) through your actions.
Usage: Ask the boss on a Friday at 4 pm, if there is anything else before you leave, and end up staying till 7 pm or taking work home.
Literal Saying: As much mattress allows; that much, stretch your legs.
You should only stretch your legs as much as the mattress allows.
Meaning: Live within your means. Do not overextend yourself - mainly used in the context of financial decisions.
Usage: Buy what you can afford, preferably in cash, not credit.
Literal Saying: Our doings; Gandharvas, let them do.
Let the Gandharvas (celestial beings) do what we would do.
Meaning: Gandharvas are demigods or celestial beings with lower-grade powers. This suggests you should let them get payback on your behalf. It enables you to keep your hands clean, yet hope that the wrongdoer doesn’t get away with their actions. It is not quite equivalent to the quotation, ‘Vengeance is Mine.’ Best applied to minor ills and wrongs, where you console yourself by hoping the demigods will bestir themselves on your behalf.
Usage: Someone spoke ill of you at work and got promoted or took credit for your work in front of the boss, and you couldn’t counter them. You go high and hope the demigods take care of the rest in time. When the person messes up royally in front of the customer and loses a major account, and your boss asks you to take over, you credit the demigods for it! This is different from karma doing its thing. Caveat: Sometimes, the wrongdoer may also use it to imply they are innocent!
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
Alexander supposedly conquered all the way to the Indus River — I wonder then if you might have that one?