O Agni! Child of two mothers! Born from wood and from waters—what strange and wondrous birth is thine! Neither wholly of earth nor wholly of heaven, yet belonging to both, thou art the bridge, the meeting place, the point of transformation.

The wood beareth thee as a mother beareth her son. Within her darkwood bosom thou sleepest until the moment of awakening. Then thou leapest forth, and lo! A new fire is born, yet it is the same eternal fire that burneth in the hearts of the gods.

The waters also bear thee, though they would seem to be thy enemies. Yet in truth they are thy other mother. Thou dwellest in the moisture of all living things. The blood that courseth through veins is warm because thy fire burneth there. The sweat upon the brow is thy sign.

Two mothers, and yet thou art the father of all. Through thy power the wood brings forth fruit. Through thy heat the water riseth as mist and falleth again as rain. Thou art neither older nor younger than thy mothers—thou art eternal, birthed perpetually, dying perpetually, yet never ceasing to be.

O enigmatic flame! How can we understand thee? Thou art the child, and yet the child obeyeth the mother. Thou art the father, and yet dependest upon both thy mothers. Art thou the first born, or the last born? Art thou the creator, or the creation?

The sages know thy mystery. They kindle thee and speak thy praise. They offer thee the finest gifts, for they understand that thou art the most precious of all sacred powers. Without thee there would be no sacrifice, no communion with the divine, no transformation.

O Agni, child and father, mortal and divine, born of water and wood—accept our praise! Thou art the mystery that containeth all mysteries, the fire that burneth with the knowledge of all things.