बृहदुपलब्धमेतदवयन्त्यवशेषतया यत उदयास्तमयौ विकृतेर्मृदि वाविकृतात् । अत ऋषयो दधुस्त्वयि मनोवचनाचरितं कथमयथा भवन्ति भुवि दत्तपदानि नृणाम् ॥ १५ ॥
bṛhad upalabdham etad avayanty avaśeṣatayā yata udayāstam-ayau vikṛter mṛdi vāvikṛtāt ata ṛṣayo dadhus tvayi mano-vacanācaritaṁ katham ayathā bhavanti bhuvi datta-padāni nṛṇām
- bṛhat
- as the Supreme
- upalabdham
- perceived
- etat
- this (world)
- avayanti
- they consider
- avaśeṣatayā
- in terms of its being the all-pervading foundation of existence
- yataḥ
- since
- udaya
- the generation
- astam-ayau
- and dissolution
- vikṛteḥ
- of a transformation
- mṛdi
- of clay
- vā
- as if
- avikṛtāt
- (the Supreme itself) not being subject to transformation
- ataḥ
- therefore
- ṛṣayaḥ
- the sages (who compiled the Vedic mantras)
- dadhuḥ
- placed
- tvayi
- in You
- manaḥ
- their minds
- vacana
- words
- ācaritam
- and actions
- katham
- how
- ayathā
- not as they are
- bhavanti
- become
- bhuvi
- upon the ground
- datta
- placed
- padāni
- the steps
- nṛṇām
- of men
This perceivable world is identified with the Supreme because the Supreme Brahman is the ultimate foundation of all existence, remaining unchanged as all created things are generated from it and at last dissolved into it, just as clay remains unchanged by the products made from it and again merged with it. Thus it is toward You alone that the Vedic sages direct all their thoughts, words and acts. After all, how can the footsteps of men fail to touch the earth on which they live?