Shloka 13
Sāma (Sāntva) and Dāna: The Brāhmaṇa’s Conciliatory Release from a Rākṣasa
प्रभुर्वान्निमदन् विद्वान् पुनर्जनयतीश्वर: । स चाजन्नाज्जायते तस्मात् सूक्ष्म एष व्यतिक्रम:
prabhur vānnimadan vidvān punar janayatīśvaraḥ | sa cājann āj jāyate tasmāt sūkṣma eṣa vyatikramaḥ ||
マイトレーヤは言った。力と見識を備えた有能な者は、食を口にしながら、なお食を再び生み出させる。しかし彼自身もまた食から生まれる。ゆえにこの逆転は微妙で見分けがたい。食は雨より生じ、生きとし生けるものは食より生ずるが、食が生きもの（学識あるバラモンのごとき者）から生ずると言われるその道理は、容易には悟れない。
मैत्रेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a subtle interdependence in the moral-cosmic economy: beings depend on food, yet through their agency (work, sacrifice, governance, learning, and right conduct) they also become causes for the renewed production and distribution of food. This apparent reversal of cause and effect is presented as difficult to grasp.
Maitreya is explaining a nuanced point about origins and sustenance: although rain produces food and food produces living beings, it is also said that living beings—exemplified by a learned brāhmaṇa—bring about food again. He notes that this reciprocal causality is subtle and not straightforward.