She spoke mentally making her intentions known to her husband. "Eating that much is enough. Be satisfied with that and do not eat any more (etavata alam). O soul of the universe (visva atma) with your satisfaction the whole universe is also satisfied. " "In order to give my dear friend great wealth, I must eat more than one handful." ""Your being satisfied alone is the cause of increase of wealth of a person in this life and the next. Therefore you do not even have to chew much of this hard, tasteless rice." This statement of Rukmini is internal, not spoken loudly, for if it were not so, Sudama, understanding her words would not speak verse twenty.

“What did she say when she grasped his hand to reveal her intentions?” What is the need of taking the second handful of rice? There is no necessity of taking more. This much will satisfy you so that all living beings can attain increase of wealth of all human goals up to prema in this life and the next. He has attained that by his gift of one handful of rice offered with the highest devotion. All wealth is achieved just by the glance of my reflected expansion, Lakṣmī, the deity of material wealth. Why do you, my supreme shelter, endeavor for giving him wealth? His house is full of wealth now. If you desire to give him visible wealth now, that wealth is accomplished in his house. You have already said that even a little offering made with bhakti and prema would satisfy you greatly. Therefore by eating his offering you have become satisfied, and then the other goal is fulfilled: his wealth will become most abundant. Why is this necessary? O soul of the universe--by satisfying you, everything becomes perfect! All my companions can then take the remainder and divide it up and eat a little with respect. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains the previous two verses as follows. Accepting one handful of rice is sufficient (alam) for one attains all wealth in this and the next life by my glance. In this way she is devoted to him (tat-parāḥ). Therefore do not make me dependent on him by taking a second handful. Seeing his wealth is the cause of your satisfaction. Karaṇam acts as an adverb and is thus in the neuter. Alam means “sufficient because of your dedication to dharma” rather than “sufficient in wealth.”