Welcome, O Agni, to the home of mortals! Thou art the guest eternal, the friend who never departeth, the companion in times of plenty and of want. Each night we kindle thee anew, each morning thou grainest fresh strength. In the center of every household thou dwellest, honored and beloved.

The children do gather 'round thy warmth at evening, and the mother warmeth the milk of her breast above thy flame. The old father telleth the ancient stories by thy light, and the maiden seeth her lover's face reflected in thy glow. Thou art not merely fire — thou art the heart of the home, the binding thread of kinship, the symbol of life itself.

When we are cold, thou givest us warmth. When our food is raw and unfit for eating, thy flame maketh it savory and nourishing. When the night falls dark and full of terrors, thy brightness driveth back the shadows and the creeping things. Thou art our protector, our provider, our most intimate companion among all the gods.

Yet thou art not bound to our houses alone. Thou art immortal, eternal, undiminished by use. We mortals come and go like the grains of sand upon the shore, but thou remainest. We light thee and extinguish thee, yet thy essence is never touched. In every home that hath ever kindled fire, thou art present. In every home yet to come, thou shalt dwell.

Therefore, O Agni, accept our gratitude and our devotion. Stay with us through the long nights and the dark seasons. Guard our families from harm, bless our endeavors, grant us thy favor as we sit by thy side. For thou art the first of all the gods we know, the nearest to our hearts, the most familiar and the most divine.