Agni, first thou art born of the waters! The immortal within the sacrifice, the bright priest whom no man may approach with guile. Thou art called forth by the damp wood; thou dwellest in the heart of stone; thou ridest upon the wind like a swift steed. Vaiśvānara, thou art the fire of all fires — the household hearth, the altar flame, the lightning that cleaves the night sky.

The gods chose thee as their mouth. The Ādityas know thy majesty; the Maruts flee before thy breath. When the mortal poureth ghee upon thy altar, thou art the bridge that carrieth his prayer upward to the halls of heaven. No offering reacheth the gods save through thy gleaming tongue.

Agni, thou art the keeper of cosmic order — ṛta flows through thy flame. When dawn breaketh, thou art reborn; when darkness gathereth, still thou burnest. The birds flee before thy heat; the waters shrink from thy touch; the mountains themselves were forged in thy ancient fire.

We call upon thee, O flame! Thou slayer of demons, thou purifier of the unworthy, thou drinker of the soma-offering! Guard us from the rākṣasas that prowl in darkness. Lead our sacrifice unto the immortal gods. Accept our praise, O Agni — thou whom no man may resist, thou whose splendor filleth the three worlds.

Come near us, O radiant one! Sit thou at our hearth. Accept the ghee we pour. Make us wealthy; grant us sons; bestow upon us the victory of warriors. Through thee, O Agni, shall we attain immortality. Through thee shall we see the face of Indra himself.