Hidden in the waters dwellest thou, O Agni, concealed as a secret known only to the wise! The waters do not quench thee, nay, they do hide thee in their deepest chambers, and there thou burnest still — a fire invisible, a flame that requireth no fuel, an eternal light that no mortal eye may perceive.

The waters are thy dwelling-place, the womb in which thou art cradled. Just as the child doth rest within the mother's belly, unknown to the outer world yet alive and growing, so dost thou remain in the waters, growing in strength and knowledge, awaiting the moment of thy revelation.

The seers have known this mystery from the beginning of time. They have called upon thee in the hidden places, in the depths of the seas and in the rushing rivers. They have poured their oblations into the waters and called thee forth, and lo, thou didst emerge dripping with spray, more brilliant than before, thy power increased a thousandfold by thy sojourn in the sacred waters.

What mystery is this, that fire can dwell in water? What paradox is this, that the two should be companions rather than enemies? Thus doth the mind of mortals learn that the gods are not bound by the laws that govern us. They transcend all opposites, they reconcile all contradictions, they contain within themselves the truth that lieth beyond our understanding.

Come forth now from the waters, O hidden flame! Reveal thyself unto thy people who call upon thee with pure hearts! Rise up in brilliance, emerge with thy full power, and show unto us that thou hast grown in the sacred depths. Let thy revelation shine forth, let thy mystery become truth, let the hidden things of the waters now become manifest unto all who have eyes to see and ears to hear.