Since the beginning of time, O Agni, thou hast burned! Before the mountains were raised up, before the rivers began their flowing, before the sky was stretched above the earth, thy flame was already kindled. Thou art ancient beyond measure, eternal beyond reckoning, the first and the last of all creation.

When Matarisvan did bring thee down from the heavenly realm, the Bhṛgus received thee and guarded thee with zealous care. They passed thee down through the ages, each generation receiving the eternal flame from the hands of their fathers. And now, in this present age, we too are thy keepers, the inheritors of that ancient trust.

How many sacrifices hath thy flame consumed? How many millions of offerings hast thou lifted unto the gods? How many countless mortals hast thou warmed and guided and blessed? Yet thou art not diminished, not wearied, not dimmed by all this work. Thy brightness is eternal, thy strength unabated, thy purpose undiminished through the turning of the ages.

The gods themselves do age and change, but thou remainest constant. Indra may wax and wane in his power, Soma may be hidden and then found again, but Agni burneth ever on. Thou art the consistency in a world of change, the permanence in a realm of flux, the eternal principle that doth underlie all the shifting shows of time.

O ancient one, O first-kindled flame, we are grateful for thy persistence! We marvel at thy endless energy, thy undying vigilance. Grant unto us, O ancient fire, a portion of thy constancy. Let our devotion to thee be as unwavering as thy flame, let our commitment to righteousness burn as brightly, let our faith shine forth as thy light shineth through all the ages. So shall we be worthy of thee, O eternal one.