यथेह क्षुधिता बाला मातरं पर्युपासत एवं सर्वाणि भूतान्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इत्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इति ॥ ५.२४.५ ॥
॥ इति चतुर्विंशः खण्डः ॥
॥ इति पञ्चमोऽध्यायः ॥yatheha kṣudhitā bālā mātaraṃ paryupāsata evaṃ sarvāṇi bhūtānyagnihotramupāsata ityagnihotramupāsata iti || 5.24.5 ||
|| iti caturviṃśaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ||
|| iti pañcamo’dhyāyaḥ ||5. Just as here in this world, when children are hungry they go to their mother and beg for food, in the same way, all living beings beg that the Agnihotra sacrifice may be performed without any delay.
Word-for-word explanation:
Yathā, just as; iha, in this world; kṣudhitāḥ bālāḥ, hungry children; mātaram paryupāsate, go to their mother [for food]; evam, in the same way; sarvāṇi bhūtāni, all living beings; agnihotram upāsate iti, wait for the Agnihotra sacrifice to begin; agnihotram upāsate iti, wait for the Agnihotra sacrifice to begin. Iti caturviṃśaḥ khaṇḍaḥ, here ends the twenty-fourth section. Iti chāndogyopaniṣadi pañcamaḥ adhyāyaḥ, here ends the fifth chapter of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad.
Commentary:
Here the reference is to a person who has attained Self-knowledge. When such a person performs his Agnihotra sacrifice as described before, by taking his meal, it is as if all living beings are eating. This happens because he is one with all.
One day Golap-ma told the Master that she knew of an expert physician who might treat his case successfully. Sri Ramakrishna, like a boy, jumped at the idea and proposed to see the doctor the next morning. He set out for Calcutta from Dakshineswar by boat, accompanied by Golap-ma, Latu, and Kali. Reaching Calcutta, they consulted the doctor, who prescribed certain medicines.
On their way back to Dakshineswar they felt very hungry. The Master inquired if any of the devotees had any money. None but Golap-ma had any, and that was but four pice. The Master asked Kali to take it and buy something at the nearest market. Kali purchased an anna worth of sweets from Baranagore. The Master, much to the surprise of the others, ate them all. He then drank water from the Ganges and said, “Ah, I am satisfied.” As the Master declared his satisfaction, the hunger of the three, who were mutely watching, vanished.
(Source: They Lived With God: Life Stories of Some Devotees of Sri Ramakrishna/Golap Ma)
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