Bhashya
यत एवम्, अन्नमयं हि सोम्य मनः आपोमयः प्राणः तेजोमयी वाक् ।ननु केवलान्नभक्षिण आखुप्रभृतयो वा-ग्मिनः प्राणवन्तश्च, तथा अब्मात्रभक्ष्याः सामुद्रा मी-नमकरप्रभृतयो मनस्विनो वाग्मिनश्च, तथा स्नेहपाना-मपि प्राणवत्त्वं मनस्वित्वं च अनुमेयम्; यदि सन्ति, तत्रकथमन्नमयं हि सोम्य मन इत्याद्युच्यते? नैष दोषः,सर्वस्य त्रिवृत्कृतत्वात्सर्वत्र सर्वोपपत्तेः ।न हि अत्रिवृत्कृ-तमन्नमश्नाति कश्चित्, आपो वा अत्रिवृत्कृताः पीयन्ते,तेजो वा अत्रिवृत्कृतमश्नाति कश्चित् इत्यन्नादानामाखुप्र-भृतीनां वाग्मित्वं प्राणवत्त्वं च इत्याद्यविरुद्धम् ।इत्येवंप्रत्यायितः श्वेतकेतुराह-- भूय एव पुनरेव मा मां भगवान्अन्नमयं हि सोम्य मन इत्यादि विज्ञापयतु दृष्टान्तेनाव-गमयतु, नाद्यापि मम अस्मिन्नर्थे सम्यङ्निश्चयो जातः ।यस्मात्तेजोबन्नमयत्वेनाविशिष्टे देहे एकस्मिन्नुपयुज्यमानान्य-न्नाप्स्नेहजातानि अणिष्ठधातुरूपेण मनःप्राणवाच उपचि-न्वन्ति स्वजात्यनतिक्रमेणेति दुर्विज्ञेयमित्यभिप्रायः; अतोभूय एवेत्याद्याह ।तमेवमुक्तवन्तं तथास्तु सोम्येति हउवाच पिता शृण्वत्र दृष्टान्तं यथैतदुपपद्यते यत्पृच्छसीति ॥
In plain words
Since it stands thus: "Mind, my dear, is made of food, breath of water, speech of fire"—an objection is raised. Do not rodents, which eat only solid food, possess voice and vitality? Do not sea creatures like fish and alligators, living solely on water, possess mind and voice? Do not those who drink oily extracts possess breath and intelligence? If such creatures exist, how can it be claimed that the mind is made of food? This is no fault, because all elements are triplicated and every attribute is found everywhere. No one consumes pure, unmixed food, unmixed water, or unmixed fire; thus the vocal and vital powers of mice and others present no contradiction. Reassured thus, Śvetaketu speaks: "Let the revered teacher explain this very teaching to me yet again through an example, for my mind has not yet gained clear certainty on this point. Since within a single physical body—composed uniformly of fire, water, and food—the ingested elements nourish mind, breath, and speech as subtle essences without abandoning their inherent nature, this is hard to grasp; therefore I ask further." To him who spoke thus, the father replied: "So be it, my dear. Listen to the illustration of how this truth is established."
Close to the Sanskrit
Since it is thus: 'Mind is made of food, my dear, breath is made of water, speech is made of fire.' Objection: But do not mice and others, who eat only solid food, possess speech and breath? And similarly sea-dwellers like fish and alligators, who eat only water, possess mind and speech? And similarly drinkers of oils possess breath and intelligence? If such exist, how is it said here 'Mind is made of food, my dear,' and so forth? Not so, because everything is triplicated and everything is accounted for everywhere. For no one eats un-triplicated food, nor are un-triplicated waters drunk, nor does anyone eat un-triplicated fire; therefore the eloquence and vitality of food-eaters like mice and so on is not contradictory. Convinced thus, Śvetaketu said: May the revered master explain to me again and again precisely this—'Mind is made of food, my dear'—making it comprehensible through an example, for clear certainty has not yet arisen in my mind regarding this matter. Since in a single undifferentiated body composed of fire, water, and food, the utilized food, water, and oil products nourish mind, breath, and speech in the form of the subtlest element without transgressing their own nature—this is difficult to grasp; hence he spoke beginning with 'further still'. To him who spoke thus, the father said: 'So be it, my dear; hear the example here of how this which you ask is established.'