Upanishads · Chāndogya 1,10.5
॥
Devanāgarī
सः ह खादित्वा अतिशेषान् जायायाः आजहार सा अग्रे एव सुभिक्षा बभूव तान् प्रतिगृह्य निदधौ
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ ha khāditvā atiśeṣān jāyāyāḥ ājahāra sā agre eva subhikṣā babhūva tān pratigṛhya nidadhau
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
हhaindeed; surely
खादित्वाkhāditvāhaving eaten; having consumed
अतिशेषान्atiśeṣānwhat was left over (ati-śeṣa); the remainder; the uneaten remainder
जायायाःjāyāyāḥfor his wife; to his wife
आजहारājahārahe brought (ā-√hṛ, perfect); he carried it; he took it
साsāshe; that one
अग्रेagreat the top; at the end
एवevaindeed; surely
सुभिक्षाsubhikṣāwell provided (su-bhikṣā — 'with good alms'); fed; having found food
बभूवbabhūvabecame; was made
तान्tānof them; those
प्रतिगृह्यpratigṛhyahaving received (prati-√grah); having taken; having gained
निदधौnidadhaushe laid it by (ni-√dhā, perfect); she kept it; she put it away
Translation
Having eaten, he brought the remaining [beans] to his wife. But she had already eaten her fill before; receiving them, she laid them by.
Version
d7cfa8f82202 · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:31:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A quiet verse about two people: sa ha khāditvātiśeṣāñ jāyāyā ājahāra — "having eaten, he brought the remainder to his wife": starving, he did not eat it all — half of a beggar's handful is set aside for Āṭikī. sā agra eva subhikṣā babhūva — "but she had already been fed before" (she had found alms herself); tān pratigṛhya nidadhau — "receiving them, she laid them by": she did not refuse ("I don't need it") — she accepted the care and saved it: tomorrow these beans will save the day (verse 1.10.7!).
A double delicacy in a single gesture: he shares his last, and she neither wounds him with a refusal nor spends what is not needed. The household of destitute teachers is shown without tears and without embellishment: famine — yet in the house a mutual carefulness reigns, and even a handful of beans passes between the two as a gift. The Upaniṣad that can speak of the Infinite can also speak of how two people share want — and it is one science: parovarīyas begins with respect for the one beside you at an empty table.