Bhashya
भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव ।ब्रह्मविद इव सोम्य ते मुखं प्रसन्नं भाति को नु त्वा अनुशशास इत्युक्तः प्रत्याह — को नु मा अनुशिष्यात् अनुशासनं कुर्यात् भो भगवन् त्वयि प्रोषिते, इति इह अप इव निह्नुते अपनिहुत इवेति व्यवहितेन संबन्धः, न च अपनिहुते, न च यथावदग्निभिरुक्तं ब्रवीतीत्यभिप्रायः ।कथम् ? इमे अग्नयः मया परिचरिताः उक्तवन्तः नूनम्, यतस्त्वां दृष्ट्वा वेपमाना इव ईदृशा दृश्यन्ते पूर्वमन्यादृशाः सन्तः, इति इह अग्नीन् अभ्यूदे अभ्युक्तवान् काक्वा अग्नीन्दर्शयन् ।किं नु सोम्य किल ते तुभ्यम् अवोचन् अग्नयः ? इति, पृष्टः इत्येवम् इदमुक्तवन्तः इत्येवं ह प्रतिजज्ञे प्रतिज्ञातवान् प्रतीकमात्रं किंचित्, न सर्वं यथोक्तमग्निभिरुक्तमवोचत् ।यत आह आचार्यः — लोकान्वाव पृथिव्यादीन् हे सोम्य किल ते अवोचन, न ब्रह्म साकल्येन ।अहं तु ते तुभ्यं तद्ब्रह्म यदिच्छसि त्वं श्रोतुं वक्ष्यामि, शृणु तस्य मयोच्यमानस्य ब्रह्मणो ज्ञानमाहात्म्यम् — यथा पुष्करपलाशे पद्मपत्रे आपो न श्लिष्यन्ते, एवं यथा वक्ष्यामि ब्रह्म, एवंविदि पापं कर्म न श्लिष्यते न संबध्यते इति ।एवमुक्तवति आचार्ये आह उपकोसलः — ब्रवीतु मे भगवानिति ।तस्मै ह उवाच आचार्यः ॥
In plain words
"Lord," he listened. "Your face shines with the clarity of one who knows Brahman, gentle one; who on earth has been teaching you?" Thus asked, he replied: "Who could possibly teach me in your absence, revered master?" Here, this statement connects across a distance; he is neither hiding the truth nor repeating the fires' words precisely. What does this mean? He felt sure the fires he served had spoken to him, for upon seeing you they looked agitated, quite unlike before. So he spoke to the fires, pointing to them with a changed tone. "Gentle one, what did the fires say to you?" Asked thus, he admitted only a small part, not everything the fires had told him. Therefore the teacher declares: "Gentle one, the fires told you only of the worlds like the earth, not of Brahman in its fullness. But I will tell you that very Brahman you wish to hear. Listen to the majesty of the knowledge of Brahman as I explain it: just as water does not cling to a lotus leaf, so unwholesome action never clings or binds one who knows thus." When the teacher finished, Upakosala said, "Please, Master, teach me." And to him the teacher spoke.
Close to the Sanskrit
O Lord, thus he listened. Your face shines serene like a knower of Brahman, O gentle one; who indeed instructed you? Thus addressed, he replies: Who indeed would instruct me, teaching in your absence, O Revered Sir? Thus, here there is connection with a separated expression, and not concealment, nor does he speak what was spoken by the fires exactly; this is the intent. How? These fires served by me spoke indeed, since seeing you they appear trembling like this, being otherwise previously. Thus he addresses the fires here, showing the fires with a changed intonation. What indeed did the fires say to you, O gentle one? Thus asked, he acknowledged just a symbol, something, not all spoken by the fires. Whence the teacher says: O gentle one, the fires spoke to you only the worlds like earth, not Brahman in its entirety. But I will speak to you that Brahman which you wish to hear; listen to the glory of the knowledge of that Brahman being spoken by me: just as waters do not cling to a lotus leaf, so does evil karma not cling or become attached to one who knows thus. When the teacher spoke thus, Upakosala said: Let the revered one speak to me. To him indeed the teacher spoke.