O Agni, thou lord of vows and sacred rites! All that is ordained in the eternal law cometh under thy dominion. Every vow that mortals take, every oath sworn upon thy altar, every promise made before thy sacred presence—these are thy concern. Thou art the witness and the guarantor of all that is solemn and binding.

The man who maketh a vow before thy flames taketh on a terrible responsibility, O Fire. He hath pledged not merely to himself, but to thee. He hath invoked thy presence as a witness. He hath called upon thy power to enforce what he hath promised. To break such a vow is to invite thy wrath—to kindle against himself the very fire that he hath honored.

Therefore mortals speak truth before thee, O Agni. The liar and the deceiver dare not approach thy altar. The false oath-taker standeth in dread of thy judgment. Men of honor and integrity gather around thy flames with joy, knowing that thou wilt stand by their side, that thou wilt enforce their righteous vows, that thou wilt punish those who would break faith with them.

The sacred rites themselves are all conducted under thy auspices, O Lord! Whether it be the marriage ceremony where two souls bind themselves together for life, or the coronation of a king where he taketh upon himself the burden of rulership, or the initiation of a young man into adulthood—in all these momentous occasions, thou art present. Thou makest the rite sacred. Thou givest it power and meaning. Thou ensurest that what is promised shall come to pass.

We mortals are fragile creatures, prone to weakness and forgetfulness. Without the steadying presence of thy sacred fire, we would abandon our vows. Without thy role as witness and guarantor, we would dishonor our promises. But with thee at the center of our lives, we become strong. We honor our commitments. We walk the path of truth.

O Agni, thou lord of all that is binding and eternal! Grant us the strength to keep our vows! Make us worthy of thy trust!