अन्नमिति होवाच सर्वाणि ह वा इमानि भूतान्यन्नमेव प्रतिहरमाणानि जीवन्ति सैषा देवता प्रतिहारमन्वायत्ता ताचेदविद्वान्प्रत्यहरिष्यो मूर्धा ते व्यपति-ष्यत्तथोक्तस्य मयेति तथोक्तस्य मयेति ॥
In plain words
It is food, he replied. All these beings live by depending entirely upon food. This is the deity underlying the pratihāra. Had you chanted it without knowing her, your head would have split apart, just as I have told you, just as I have told you.
Close to the Sanskrit
Food, he said. Indeed all these beings live by obtaining food alone. This is the deity connected with the pratihāra. If you had chanted without knowing her, your head would have fallen off, as I have stated, as I have stated.