51. She to whom two-footed winged-ones fly together, swans, eagles, hawks, birds; on whom the wind, Mātariçvan, goes about, making clouds of dust (? rájas) and setting in motion the trees—flame (arcís) blows after the forth-blowing, the toward-blowing, of the wind.
The second pāda is identical with xi. 2. 24 b. Upavā́m is metrically an intrusion into e: with the pāda is to be compared RV. i. 148. 4 c (which, however, casts little light upon it). Ppp. reads in c-d vātayate mātariçvā raj-; and, in e, it omits upavām, and has at the end arciṣe. The Anukr. appears to divide the last redundant pāda into two, an anuṣṭubh (8) and a kakubh (6); the whole makes two syllables more than a proper çakvarī (11 + 11: 11 + 11: 8 + 6 = 58). ⌊Hopkins, JAOS. xx.2 217, thinks that fire caused by the friction of branches is here alluded to, and cites parallels. We may add Indische Sprüche, 3759, which is very clear.⌋
52. On whom the black and the ruddy, combined, [namely] day-and-night, [are] disposed upon the earth (bhū́mi); the broad (pṛthivī́) earth (bhū́mi), wrapped [and] covered with rain—let her kindly (bhadráyā) set us in each loved abode.
Ppp. reads gṛṣṭam for kṛṣṇam in a, reads and combines saṁbhṛte ‘horātre in a-b, and reads vṛtāvṛdhā in c, and dhāmnidhāmni in e. In c is to be understood, with the pada-text, vṛtā́: ā́॰vṛtā. An accent-mark under the final tā is needed in order to indicate the acute of sā́ in the next line. The verse (11 + 12: 12 + 8 + 8 = 51)is not well described by the Anukr. ⌊A ca with syllabic value, inserted after kṛṣṇám, would be an effective, albeit cheap, means of improving the meter of a.⌋ The verse is quoted in Kāuç. 24. 41 (next after various of the preceding verses), as accompanying a mouth-rinsing and head-splashing with rainwater; and pāda c, again, in 137. 23, with a sprinkling with water.
53. Both heaven and earth and atmosphere [have given] me this expanse; fire, sun, waters, and all the gods have together given me wisdom (medhā́).
The translation of a, b is doubtful; vyácas may be in apposition with antárikṣam, and the gift as in the second line. The Anukr. takes no notice of the irregular combination me ’dam in a, which is needed to make the verse a simple anuṣṭubh. Ppp. combines māi ’daṁ, and it has at the end saṁ dadhāu. Not this verse, but vi. 53. 1 (according to the comm. on the latter), is quoted in Kāuç. 10. 20, in a ceremony for wisdom; ⌊but Dārila understands our verse as the one intended⌋.
54. I am overpowering, superior by name on the earth (bhū́mi); I am subduing, all-overpowering, vanquishing in every region.
The treatment of the compounds of sah (p. also abhīṣā́ṭ, viçvāṣā́ṭ) is the subject of several rules in the Prāt. (ii. 82; iii. 1; iv. 70). ⌊Cf. above, iii. 18. 5.⌋ The verse is by Kāuç. 38. 30 prescribed to be repeated as one goes to an assembly (pariṣad).
55. When yonder, O divine one, spreading thyself forward, told by the gods, thou didst expand (vi-sṛp) to greatness, then entered into thee well-being; thou didst make fit the four directions.
