यथेह क्षुधिता बाला मातरं पर्युपासत एवं सर्वाणि भूतान्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इत्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इति ॥ ५.२४.५ ॥
In plain words
"As hungry children here sit about their mother, so all beings sit about the fire offering" — sit about the fire offering.
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam
इति विद्यामेव स्तौति । तदेतस्मिन्स्तुत्यर्थे श्लोकः मन्त्रोऽप्येष भवति ॥
यथा इह लोके क्षुधिता बुभुक्षिता बाला मातरं पर्यु- पासते-कदा नो माता अन्नं प्रयच्छतीति, एवं सर्वाणि भूता- न्यन्नादानि एवंविदः अग्निहोत्रं भोजनमुपासते-कदा त्वसौ भोक्ष्यत इति, जगत्सर्वं विद्वद्भोजनेन तृप्तं भवतीत्यर्थः । द्विरुक्तिरध्यायपरिसमाप्त्यर्था ॥
In plain words
Thus he extols the knowledge itself. Therefore, for the purpose of praising it, this mantra verse is given.
Just as hungry children in this world sit close to their mother, watching her eagerly and asking, 'When will mother give us food?', so do all creatures—consumers of food—attend upon the Agnihotra meal of the one who knows this, asking, 'When will he eat?' The meaning is that when the wise one eats, the entire universe is satisfied. The repetition at the end is simply to mark the conclusion of the chapter.
Close to the Sanskrit
Thus he praises knowledge itself. Therefore, regarding this purpose of praise, this verse and mantra exists.
Just as here in the world, hungry, craving children sit waiting around their mother, saying, 'When will our mother give us food?', even so all creatures, eaters of food, wait upon the Agnihotra meal of one who knows thus, saying, 'When will he eat?': the meaning is that the entire universe becomes satisfied through the feeding of the knower. The repetition is for the purpose of concluding the chapter.