The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

यत्सप्तान्नानि— यत् अजनयदिति क्रियाविशेषणम् ; मेधया प्रज्ञया विज्ञानेन तपसा च कर्मणा ; ज्ञानकर्मणी एव हि मेधातपःशब्दवाच्ये, तयोः प्रकृतत्वात् ; नेतरे मेधातपसी, अप्रकरणात् ; पाङ्क्तं हि कर्म जायादिसाधनम् ; ‘य एवं वेद’ इति च अनन्तरमेव ज्ञानं प्रकृतम् ; तस्मान्न प्रसिद्धयोर्मेधातपसोराशङ्का कार्या ; अतः यानि सप्तान्नानि ज्ञानकर्मभ्यां जनितवान्पिता, तानि प्रकाशयिष्याम इति वाक्यशेषः ।तत्र मन्त्राणामर्थः तिरोहितत्वात्प्रायेण दुर्विज्ञेयो भवतीति तदर्थव्याख्यानाय ब्राह्मणं प्रवर्तते ।तत्र यत्सप्तान्नानि मेधया तपसाजनयत्पितेत्यस्य कोऽर्थः ? उच्यते इति—हि-शब्देनैव व्याचष्टे प्रसिद्धार्थावद्योतकेन ; प्रसिद्धो ह्यस्य मन्त्रस्यार्थ इत्यर्थः ; यदजनयदिति च अनुवादस्वरूपेण मन्त्रेण प्रसिद्धतैवै प्रकाशिता ; अतः ब्राह्मणम् अविशङ्कयैवाह— मेधया हि तपसाजनयत्पितेति ॥

In plain words

Regarding the phrase 'which seven foods'—'which' serves to modify the action. They are generated by intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, austerity, and action. Indeed, knowledge and action alone are intended by the words 'medhā' and 'tapas' because they are the immediate subject under discussion, not the ordinary meanings of those words, which lack contextual support. Therefore, whatever seven foods the father brought forth through knowledge and action, those we shall now explain—this completes the sentence.

Close to the Sanskrit

'Which seven foods'—'which' is an adverb of action. By intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, austerity, and action; indeed, knowledge and action alone are denoted by the words medhā and tapas, due to their being under discussion, and not the other medhā and tapas due to lack of context... Therefore, whatever seven foods the father generated through knowledge and action, those we shall illuminate—such is the remainder of the sentence.