Bhashya
एकमस्य साधारणमिति मन्त्रपदम् ; तस्य व्याख्यानम्-- इदमेवास्य तत्साधारणमन्नमित्युक्तम् ; भोक्तृसमुदायस्य ; किं तत् ? यदिदमद्यते भुज्यते सर्वैः प्राणिभिरहन्यहनि, तत् साधारणं सर्वभोक्त्रर्थमकल्पयत्पिता सृष्ट्वा अन्नम् ।स य एतत्साधारणं सर्वप्राणभृत्स्थितिकरं भुज्यमानमन्नमुपास्ते-त-त्परो भवतीत्यर्थः- उपासनं हि नाम तात्पर्यं दृष्टं लोके 'गुरुमुपास्ते' 'राजानमुपास्ते' इत्यादौ-तस्मात् शरीरस्थि-त्यर्थान्नोपभोगप्रधानः नादृष्टार्थक र्मप्रधान इत्यर्थः ; स एवं-भूतो न पाप्मनोऽधर्मात् व्यावर्तते-न विमुच्यत इत्येतत् ।तथा च मन्त्रवर्णः-'मोघमन्नं विन्दते' इत्यादिः ; स्मृति-रपि-'नात्मार्थं पाचयेदन्नम्' 'अप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्तेस्तेन एव सः' 'अन्नादे भ्रूणहा मार्ष्टि' इत्यादिः ।कस्मा-त्पुनः पाप्मनो न व्यावर्तते ? मिश्रं ह्येतत्- सर्वेषां हि स्वंत् तत् अप्रविभक्तं यत्प्राणिभिर्भुज्यते, सर्वभोज्यत्वादेव यो मुखेप्रक्षिप्यमाणोऽपि ग्रासः परस्य पीडाकरो दृश्यते- ममेदं स्यादिति हि सर्वेषां तत्राशा प्रतिबद्ध; तस्मात् न परम-पीडयित्वा ग्रसितुमपि शक्यते ।'दुष्कृतं हि मनुष्याणाम् 'इत्यादिस्मरणाच्च ।
In plain words
The Vedic text says, 'One of this is common.' Its explanation has been given: 'This is its common food,' referring to all who eat. What is that? The food that is eaten and enjoyed by all living creatures day after day. The creator Prajāpati fashioned this common food for the sustenance of all consumers. Whoever meditates upon this common food—which sustains every living being—as it is being eaten, attains the supreme state. In the world, 'worship' or 'attendance' means deep devotion, as when people serve a teacher or a king. Therefore, food should be eaten strictly to maintain the physical body, not merely for sensual pleasure or for elaborate rituals meant for unseen rewards. A person who views food this way does not become free from sin. Scripture confirms this with the mantra, 'He finds fruitless food,' and Smṛti texts declare: 'One should not cook food solely for himself,' 'Whoever eats without sharing with others is truly a thief,' and 'The consumer of food incurs the guilt of destroying life.' Why does such a person fail to escape sin? Because this food is shared by all; it belongs undividedly to every living creature. Since it is meant for everyone, even a morsel placed in the mouth inevitably deprives someone else, for everyone clings to the thought, 'May this be mine.' Thus, one cannot swallow a bite without depriving another, as confirmed by Smṛti texts regarding human wrongdoing.
Close to the Sanskrit
The mantra phrase is 'One of this is common'; its explanation: 'This very thing is stated as its common food,' of the community of eaters; what is that? That which is eaten and enjoyed by all living beings day by day, that common food the father created, having created food, for the sake of all eaters. He who worships this common food, which sustains all life-bearers, as it is being eaten—that means he becomes supreme—for worship is known in the world as profound import, as 'one attends upon the teacher', 'one attends upon the king'; therefore for the purpose of body maintenance, not primarily for enjoyment, not primarily for unseen-result action; he being such does not turn away from sin—does not become liberated from it. And thus the mantra text: 'Vain food he finds', and so forth; and the Smṛti also: 'One should not cook food for his own sake', 'Whosoever eats without giving to these, he verily is a thief', 'From the eater of food the embryo-slayer cleanses himself', and so forth. Why does he not turn away from sin? For this is mixed—it is the property of all, undivided, which is eaten by living beings; because of being edible by all, even a morsel thrown into the mouth is seen to be causing pain to another—'may this be mine' is indeed the desire of all fixed upon it; therefore it is not possible to swallow without distressing another. And from the Smṛti statement: 'Sin of men', and so forth.