The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Verse 344

अन्नं वाव बलाद्भूयस्तस्माद्यद्यपि दशरात्रीर्नाश्नीयाद्यद्यु ह जीवेदथवाद्रष्टाश्रो-तामन्ताबोद्धाकर्ताविज्ञाता भवत्यथान्न-स्यायै द्रष्टा भवति श्रोता भवति मन्ताभवति बोद्धा भवति कर्ता भवति वि-ज्ञाता भवत्यन्नमुपास्स्वेति ॥ १ ॥

In plain words

Food is greater than strength. If a person goes ten nights without eating, even if they manage to live, they become unable to see, hear, think, understand, act, or know. But when food is obtained, sight, hearing, thought, comprehension, action, and knowledge all return. Meditate on food.

Close to the Sanskrit

Food indeed is greater than strength. Therefore, even if someone does not eat for ten nights, and even if indeed he lives, yet he becomes a non-seer, a non-hearer, a non-thinker, a non-understander, a non-doer, a non-knower. But upon the arrival of food he becomes a seer, he becomes a hearer, he becomes a thinker, he becomes a understander, he becomes a doer, he becomes a knower. Meditate upon food.