हन्ताहमेतद्भगवतो वेदानीति विद्धीति होवाचामुष्य लोकस्य का गतिरित्ययं लोक इति होवाचास्य लोकस्य का गतिरिति न प्रतिष्ठां लोकमिति नयेदिति होवाच प्रतिष्ठां वयं लोकं सामाभिसंस्थापयामः प्रतिष्ठासंस्तावं हि सामेति ॥ १.८.७ ॥
In plain words
"Come, let me learn this from thee, sir." "Learn it," he said. "What is the goal of that world?" "This world," he said. "What is the goal of this world?" "One should not carry it beyond the world that is the foundation," he said. "We establish the Sāman in the world that is the foundation, for the Sāman is praised as the foundation."
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· Leaf 6.241· avatāraṇikā
एवमुक्तो दाल्भ्य आह-हन्ताहमेतद्भगवत्त भगवत वे- दानि यत्प्रतिष्ठ साम इत्युक्त प्रत्युवाच शालावत्य - विद्धीति होवाच । अमुष्य लोकस्य का गतिरिति पृष्ट दाल्भ्येन
In plain words
Thus addressed, Dalbhya replied, "Venerable sir, let me learn from you upon what the Sāman is truly established." Śālāvatya answered, "Understand it thus." When Dalbhya asked him what served as the support for yonder world,
Close to the Sanskrit
Thus addressed, Dalbhya said: Well now, let me know this from your venerable self, what the established Sāman is. Thus addressed, Śālāvatya replied: Know it, he said. When asked by Dalbhya: What is the support of that world?
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· Leaf 6.242· bhāṣya
शालावत्य अय लोक इति होवाच, अय हि लोको याग दानहोमादिभिरमु लोक पुष्यतीति, 'अत प्रदान देवा उपजीवन्ति' इति हि श्रुतय, प्रत्यक्ष हि सर्वभूताना धरणी प्रतिष्ठेति, अत साम्नोऽप्यय लोक प्रतिष्ठेति युक्तम् । अस्य लोकस्य का गतिरित्युक्त आह शालावत्य - न प्रतिष्ठाम् इम लोकमतीय नयेत् साम कश्चित् । अतो वय प्रतिष्ठा लोक साम अभिसस्थापयाम, यस्मात्प्रतिष्ठा सस्ताव हि, प्रतिष्ठात्वेन सस्तुत सामेत्यर्थ, 'इय वै रथ तरम्' इति च श्रुति ॥
In plain words
He said: 'O Śālāvatya, this earthly world nourishes the heavenly world through sacrifices, gifts, and oblations, for scripture tells us that the gods live upon human offerings. And as we can plainly see, the earth is the foundational support for all living beings.' Therefore, it is entirely proper to say that this earthly world is the foundation of the Sāman as well. When asked about the ultimate destination or support of this world, Śālāvatya replied: 'No one should ever detach this world from its foundational Sāman.' Hence, we firmly establish this earthly world upon the Sāman, because the Sāman is specifically lauded as a foundation—meaning it is praised precisely in that role. And scripture confirms this: 'This earth is indeed the Rathantara Sāman.'
Close to the Sanskrit
'This world,' he said, 'O Śālāvatya, for this world nourishes that world through sacrifices, gifts, oblations, and the like; and it is heard in scripture that gifts are lived upon by the gods; and the earth is visibly the foundation of all beings.' Therefore it is appropriate that this world is also the foundation of the sāman. Regarding this world's destination, Śālāvatya said: 'No one should lead this world, having transcended its foundation, away from the sāman.' Therefore we establish this world as a foundation through the sāman, because it is praised precisely as a foundation—meaning the sāman is praised in the capacity of being a foundation—and there is also the scriptural text: 'This indeed is the Rathantara.'