The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

तथा श्रोत्रं दिशोऽभवन् ; दिशः प्राच्यादिविभागेनाव-स्थिताः ॥

In plain words

Thus the ear became the quarters of space, and those directions remain established through divisions like the eastern.

Close to the Sanskrit

Thus the ear became the directions; the directions are situated by the division beginning with the eastern.