The traditions of India are closely linked to spirituality and mysticism, aspects that have always played a primary role in Indian society. As a reflection of culture, Indian proverbs are also the mirror of a multitude of peoples and beliefs that have mixed, bringing Arab, English, Portuguese and other influences.
Indian culture is one of the oldest on the planet: think that the Indian Vedas, the ancient sacred texts, are placed between 2000 and 5000 BC The Indian people is made up of about a billion people who differ in language, music, dances, styles and traditions. In each region of the continent the traditions are different but everywhere they are rooted in the territory and constitute a real wealth.
Here are some of the most famous Indian proverbs
Proverbs are characteristic representations of the ways of thinking of a place and of the people who inhabit it, as if they were bearers of their ideas and concepts. They are simple and concise forms of expression, sometimes easy to understand, other times almost incomprehensible if one stops at the literal meaning.
Here are some Indian proverbs that express well the values and beliefs of these peoples.
There are always a thousand suns beyond the clouds.
A hopeful phrase that easily finds an equivalent in Italian and other languages. It is equivalent to “After a climb there is always a descent” or “After a storm comes the rainbow”. This proverb is common to many cultures because it concerns a universal concept; the injustices that happen to us in everyday life cannot be justified and therefore man seeks a way to accept them, imagining that they too play a role in a greater plan. For this reason, the suffering of today will be followed by a happier tomorrow. This Indian proverb also inspired the book “A Thousand Suns”(2000) by Dominique LaPierre. Faces and episodes alternate in the pages of this book that metaphorically are the thousand suns that illuminate the writer’s existence and that end up increasing his faith in man.
A little thing often makes a great noise: the sound of gold is faint, but the tin, what a noise!
These two rhyming lines are actually a proverb very similar to ours “In the small barrel there is good wine”. Metaphorically we mean that something with little potential and apparently insignificant can have important qualities that are difficult to understand if we stop at a little careful observation. Yet, it is often the very things – or people – that least expect great things from, that have great potential.
There is no tree that the wind has not shaken
It is a proverb that addresses the theme of life’s adversities. With great wisdom, the proverb reminds us that adversity affects everyone and that they are inevitable because they are part of the path of life. For Indians, brooding over situations leads to the exhaustion of one’s life force and is completely useless. The wisdom of this people can be summed up in Four Laws of Spirituality. These Laws state that everything that happens occurs for a very specific reason: to push us towards evolution. The laws state that:
- The person who arrives is the right person. Everyone can give us something, for better or for worse.
- What happens is the only thing that could have happened; therefore, it is counterproductive to “cry over spilled milk”.
- The moment it happens (everything) is the right time. You don’t have to sit down and wait but it’s the right time to act.
- When something ends, it ends. Every ending is a new beginning; ci are always a thousand suns beyond the clouds.
The tree does not deny its shadow even to the lumberjack
This proverb is very wise and reveals solidarity and fraternity, concepts that are common and shared by many religions and philosophical cultures. Generosity of spirit is also often addressed to those who do harm. By translating this concept onto ourselves we can affirm that it is not necessary to do good to receive good but because it is a life mission. For this reason this proverb could be translated as a sort of invitation to “turn the other cheek”.
If you want to be happy, you must want to see others happy
There are many ways to happiness but one of them is surely to perform good deeds towards others and not be envious of the happiness of others, nor desire it with envy. In fact, personal happiness is also affected by the influence of others and it is easier to feel good about yourself and the world when you are surrounded by happy people. This is one of the ways to obtain joy.
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