Shloka
आहारस्त्वपि सर्वस्य त्रिविधो भवति प्रियः |
यज्ञस्तपस्तथा दानं तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु ||१७-७||Transliteration
āhārastvapi sarvasya trividho bhavati priyaḥ .
yajñastapastathā dānaṃ teṣāṃ bhedamimaṃ śṛṇu ||17-7||Translations
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan
17.7. Further, the food also, which is dear to all, is of three kinds. So are [their] sacrifice, austerity and charity. Listen to this distinction of them.
Shri Purohit Swami
17.7 The food which men enjoy is also threefold, like the ways of sacrifice, austerity and almsgiving. Listen to the distinction.
Sri Abhinav Gupta
17.7 See Comment under 17.10
Sri Ramanuja
17.7 Even the food which is dear to the host of all beings is of three kinds because of the association of the three Gunas consisting of Sattva etc. Similarly, sacrifices also are of three kinds. So too austerity and charity. Listen about this distinction, which is being described, about foods, sacrifices, austerities and gifts according to differences of Sattva etc.
Sri Shankaracharya
17.7 Aharah, food; api tu, also; which is priyah, dear; sarvasya, to all [Here Ast. adds praninah (creatures).-Tr.] who eat it; bhavati, is; trividhah, of three kinds; so also yajnah, sacrifices; similarly, tapah, austerity; tatha, so also; danam, charity. Srnu, listen; to imam, this; bhedam, classification; tesam, of them, of food etc., which is going to be stated.
Swami Adidevananda
17.7 Even the food which is dear to all is threefold. So are sacrifices, austeritty and gifts. Listen about this distinction among them.
Swami Gambirananda
17.7 Food also, which is dear to all, is of three kinds; and so also are sacrifices, austerity and charity. Listen to this classification of them.
Swami Sivananda
17.7 The food also which is dear to each is threefold, as also sacrifice, austerity and almsgiving. Hear thou the distinction of these.
Commentaries
Swami Sivananda
17.7 आहारः food? तु indeed? अपि also? सर्वस्य of all? त्रिविधः threefold? भवति is? प्रियः dear? यज्ञः sacrifice? तपः austerity? तथा also? दानम् almsgiving? तेषाम् their? भेदम् distinction? इमम् this? श्रृणु hear.Commentary Each Every being that eats.Imam This That which is going to be described.Tesham Their Of food? etc.According to the Gunas? a mans taste for a particular food is determined. There are three kinds of food that a man can eat.All foods have different properties. Different foods exercise different effects on different compartments of the brain or the mind. A confection of sparrow? meat? fish? eggs? onion and garlic excites passion. Fruits? barley? etc.? render the mind calm and serene. The nature of food greatly influences the being of a man. Man feels a desire for particular foods according to his Guna or temperament.The body is the instrument by which man accomplishes all his purposes in the world. It is the horse that takes him to his destination or goal (Moksha). Therefore it should be kept clean? strong and healthy. The body is a mould prepared by the mind for its activities. There is an intimate connection between the body and the mind. The nature and condition of the body has a vital effect upon the mind and activities. Therefore the materials or foods that build the body and the mind should be pure? wholesome? nutritious? substantial and bland.Everything in this world is threefold. The food is either Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic according to its,character and effect upon the body and the mind. You can find out the nature or temperament of a man from the nature of the food he takes. You can find out your own nature? whether you are Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic? from your predilection to particular food and then abandon the Rajasic and the Tamasic foodstuffs and take to the Sattvic diet.Why is there also a triple division in sacrifice? austerity and charity Because this threefold division is according to the nature of the Gunas. You can find out and abandon the Rajasic and the Tamasic ones and take recourse exclusively to the Sattvic ones.The practice of Krichhra and Chandrayana Vratas that produce emaciation of the body and the senses is austerity. Tapas means meditation also. It produces Brahmatejas or divine splendour and glow on the face.