Upanishads · Chāndogya 5,1.2
॥
Devanāgarī
यः ह वै वसिष्ठम् वेद वसिष्ठः ह स्वानाम् भवति वाक् वाव वसिष्ठः
Transliteration (IAST)
yaḥ ha vai vasiṣṭham veda vasiṣṭhaḥ ha svānām bhavati vāk vāva vasiṣṭhaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यःyaḥwho; the one who
हhaindeed; surely
वैvaiverily; indeed
वसिष्ठम्vasiṣṭhamthe richest (vasiṣṭha — superlative of vasu: 'the wealthiest'; cf. the name of the seer Vasiṣṭha); the richest; the most abundant
वेदvedaknows; understands
वसिष्ठःvasiṣṭhaḥVasiṣṭha; the best, the richest
हhaindeed; surely
स्वानाम्svānāmamong his own; among his own circle; among his kinsmen
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
वाक्vākspeech (vāc); the word; the voice
वावvāvatruly; indeed
वसिष्ठःvasiṣṭhaḥVasiṣṭha; the best, the richest
Translation
He who knows the richest becomes the richest among his own. Speech is the richest.
Version
ef2834b2f6c5 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:25:12 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Next the Upaniṣad hands out titles to four faculties, and each title is exact. Speech is vasiṣṭhā, "the richest": all a man's treasures — knowledge, covenant, prayer, song — are kept and handed on by the word. Rich is not he whose chests are full but he whose word carries weight; not for nothing does the greatest of the ṛṣis bear this name — Vasiṣṭha.
But note: each title holds good "among its own" (svānām) — within its circle, in its own domain. This prepares the parable's outcome in advance: every power has a superiority, but a partial one; only the breath will prove to be universal. So it is with every gift — eloquence, keen sight, hearing, thought: they are glorious only while the man lives; take away the life and the riches of speech fall silent.