51. This one of skins (tvác) hath come into being on man; not naked are all the animals (paçú) that are other; ye (du.) cause to wrap (paridhā) yourselves (ātmán) with authority (kṣatrá), a home-woven garment, the mouth of the rice-dish.
The translation is as literal as possible; but other constructions may be made in the second half-verse. Ppp. leaves the hiatus between a and b, babhūva an-; it combines -gnās sarve in b; and it reads in c dhāpayeta, with a division-line after it. Kāuç. 62. 23 makes the verse accompany the depositing of such a garment, with gold. ⌊Has the vs. anything to do with the legend, cited under ii. 13. 3, about the cow and her skin, which the gods took from man and gave to the cow?⌋
52. What [untruth] thou shalt speak at the dice, what at the meeting, or what untruth thou shalt speak from desire of gain—clothing yourselves (du.) in the same web (tántu), ye shall settle in it all pollution.
Ppp. rectifies the meter of a by reading vadasi; in b it has dhane instead of vadās; in c it gives saha for abhi. The Anukr. does not notice the deficiency in a. The verse is quoted in Kāuç. 63. 1 (next after vs. 51), with the explanation 'the two become dressed in the same garment.' ⌊With a, cf. 46 c.⌋
53. Win thou rain; go unto the gods; thou shalt make smoke fly up out of the skin; about to become all-expanded, ghee-backed, go thou, of like origin, unto that world.
The second half-verse is identical with 19 a, b above. Ppp. begins b with tatas instead of tvacas; and it has a different second half: viçvavyacā viçvakarmā svargas sayoniṁ lokam upa yāhy ekam, which seems less unintelligible. In Kāuç. 63. 5 the verse is quoted (together with xi. 1. 28 b) with the direction 'he draws off [the garment?].'
54. The heaven-goer hath variously changed his body, as he finds (? vidé) in himself one of another color; he hath conquered off the black one, purifying a shining one (rúçat); the one that is red, that I offer (hu) to thee in the fire.
The adjectives here are all fem., relating to 'body' (tanū́). The defective meter of b helps to make the isolated ⌊or rather, unusual?⌋ vidé ⌊see Gram. §613⌋ suspicious; the Anukr. takes no notice of the deficiency. The first half-verse is corrupt in Ppp., so that the comparison gives us no help. In Kāuç. 63. 8 the verse accompanies the scattering on of other husks (phalīkaraṇān). ⌊For the form ajāit, see the references under vi. 32. 2.⌋
55. To the eastern quarter, to Agni as overlord, to the black [serpent] as defender, to Āditya having arrows, we commit thee here; guard ye him for us until our coming; may he lead on our appointed [life-time] here unto old age; let old age commit us unto death; then may we be united with the cooked [offering].
