स होवाच किं मे वासो भविष्यतीत्याप इति होचुस्तस्माद्वा एतदशिष्यन्तः पुरस्ताच्चोपरिष्टाच्चाद्भिः परिदधति लम्भुको ह वासो भवत्यनग्नो ह भवति ॥ ५.२.२ ॥
In plain words
It said, "What shall be my clothing?" "The waters," they said. Therefore, when men are about to eat, they surround it with water before and after. So it comes to obtain clothing and is not naked.
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· bhāṣya
स ह उवाच पुनः प्राणः— पूर्ववदेव कल्पना । किं मे वासो भविष्यतीति । आप इति होचुर्वागादयः । यस्मात्प्राण- स्य वासः आपः, तस्माद्वा एतदशिष्यन्तः भोक्ष्यमाणा भुक्त- वन्तश्च ब्राह्मणा विद्वांसः एतत्कुर्वन्ति । किम् ? अद्भिः वास- स्थानीयाभिः पुरस्तात् भोजनात्पूर्वम् उपरिष्टाच्च भोजनादूर्ध्वं च परिदधति परिधानं कुर्वन्ति मुख्यस्य प्राणस्य । लम्भुको लम्भनशीलो वासो ह भवति ; वाससो लब्धैव भवती- त्यर्थः । अनग्नो ह भवति । वाससो लम्भुकत्वेनार्थसिद्धैवा- नग्नतेति अनग्नो ह भवतीत्युत्तरीयवान्भवतीत्येतत् ॥
In plain words
Prana asked again: 'What shall my garment be?' 'Water,' said the senses. Because water is the garment of Prana, knowing brahmins, before and after eating, sip water as a garment for the principal breath. He truly becomes one who obtains clothes; he is never naked. By securing this garment, nakedness is left behind, and he is clothed with dignity.
Close to the Sanskrit
He indeed said, again Prana: 'Like before indeed is the arrangement, what will be my garment?' Waters, said Speech and others. Since the garment of Prana is water, therefore indeed knowing brahmins about to eat, enjoying and having eaten, do this. What? With waters acting as garments, before eating and above all after eating, they put on a garment, performing clothing for the chief prana. He becomes an obtainer of clothing, meaning he becomes an obtainer of garments. He becomes not naked. With the attainment of clothing, non-nakedness is established indeed, he becomes not naked, meaning he possesses an upper garment.