O Agni, thou inviter of the gods! Thou standest at the threshold of heaven and earth. When we kindle thee and speak the prayer, thou hearest instantly. Thou risest up and fliest to the gods, and they do come down at thy summoning.

Thou art the messenger, the bearer of our word! The gods await thee—they hunger for the oblation. But they come not unbidden. Only through thee do they descend into the world of men. Thou art the only gate between the mortal realm and the divine.

We sing thy praise, O Agni! Come and hear our prayer. We have prepared the soma, the finest grains, the clarified butter. All waiteth upon thy acceptance. Come, kindle the offering! Mount upward on thy flames and carry all unto the gods assembled.

What god doth not receive thy invitation? Not Indra, though he marcheth in battle. Not Mitra, though he watcheth from afar. Not the Aśvins, though they ride their swift chariot. Not even Viṣṇu, who dwelleth in the far reaches of sky. All come when Agni calleth.

Thou art the eldest of the gods among mortals. We were taught to kindle thee before all others. Our fathers' fathers knew thy name; they poured their oblations unto thee. Now we too come with our offerings, following in their footsteps.

O Agni, thou master of the sacrifice! Accept our flame, our words, our ghee, our souls laid bare before thee. Summon the gods to our aid. Tell them of our devotion, our need, our prayers. Be our advocate in heaven. Through thee alone do we reach the immortals. Thus do we invoke thee—forever and ever.