Bhashya
आकाशो वाव तेजसो भूयान्, वायुसहितस्य तेजसः का-रणत्वाद्व्योम्नः ।'वायुमागृह्य' इति तेजसा सहोक्तः वायुरितिपृथगिह नोक्तस्तेजसः ।कारणं हि लोके कार्याद्भूयो दृष्टम्-यथा घटादिभ्यो मृत्, तथा आकाशो वायुसहितस्य तेजसःकारणमिति ततो भूयान् ।कथम्? आकाशे वै सूर्याचन्द्र-मसावुभौ तेजोरूपौ विद्युन्नक्षत्राण्यग्निश्च तेजोरूपाण्याकाशे-ऽन्तः ।यच्च यस्यान्तर्वर्ति तदल्पम्, भूय इतरत् ।किंचआकाशेन आह्वयति च अन्यमन्यः; आहूतश्चेतरः आकाशेनशृणोति ; अन्योक्तं च शब्दम् अन्यः प्रतिशृणोति ; आकाशेरमते क्रीडन्त्योन्यं सर्वेः ; तथा न रमते च आकाशे ब-न्ध्वादिवियोगे ; आकाशे जायते, न मूर्तेनावष्टब्धे ।तथाआकाशमभि लक्ष्य अङ्कुरादि जायते, न प्रतिलोमम् ।अतः आकाशमुपास्स्व ॥
In plain words
Space is indeed greater than fire, because space is the source of fire and the wind that moves with it. When the scripture says 'gathering the wind,' it speaks of wind and fire together; wind is not mentioned here as something separate from fire. In the world, we always see that the cause is greater than its effect—just as clay is greater than the pots made from it, so space is greater than fire and wind because it is their cause. How is this so? It is within space that the sun and moon, lightning, stars, and fire—all forms of light—exist. Whatever is contained within another is the smaller, while the container is the greater. Moreover, it is through space that one person calls to another; through space that the other hears; and through space that we hear the words of others. In open space all beings play and find delight, and in space they feel the empty ache of separation from those they love. In space everything is born, for nothing can grow where space is blocked by solid matter. Even a tiny sprout reaches upward toward open space, never downward into obstruction. Therefore, meditate on space.
Close to the Sanskrit
Space indeed is greater than fire, because of the fact that space is the cause of fire which is accompanied by wind. 'Having gathered wind'—thus, wind is spoken of together with fire; wind is not spoken of here separately from fire. For in the world, the cause is seen to be greater than the effect—just as clay is greater than pots and the like, so space is the cause of fire accompanied by wind, therefore it is greater than that. How? In space indeed, both the sun and the moon, which have the form of fire, the lightning, the stars, and fire, which have the form of fire, are inside space. And that which is existing inside another is small, the other is greater. Moreover, by space one calls out to another; and the other, being called, hears by space; and one hears the sound spoken by another; in space all rejoice, playing with one another; likewise, one does not rejoice in space when there is separation from relatives and the like; in space one is born, not in that which is blocked by a solid object. Likewise, aiming towards space, sprouts and the like are born, not in the opposite direction. Therefore, meditate on space.