O Agni, thou guardian of the house! Thou watchest through the night when all are sleeping. Thy flames never slumber. Thy eyes never close. While mortals lie vulnerable, thou keepest vigil. Thou art the protector, the sentinel, the eternal watchman of the home.

The thief cometh in the darkness thinking to rob. But thou seest him, O Agni! The evil spirit prowleth seeking whom it may devour. But thy light driveth it back. The rākṣasa stealeth forth with malicious intent. But thy flames make him flee like a coward before the might of a warrior. No harm can touch the house where thou dwellest!

This is why our ancestors always kept a fire burning in the home. Not merely for warmth and light, though these are precious. But for protection. For the assurance that as long as the flame lived, as long as the smoke rose up, the family was safe. The fire was the covenant between man and the gods—a pledge that if mortals honoured the flame, the gods would protect them through the dark hours.

O guardian most faithful! Thou watchest the children as they sleep. Thou keepest watch over the wife and the husband. Thou guardest the cattle in the pen. Thou standest at the threshold against all intruders, both seen and unseen. No enemy can breach thy wall of flame. No sickness can enter where thou art. No curse can penetrate thy sacred fire.

We trust thee, O Agni! We rest easy at night because we know thou art there. We sleep peacefully because thou keepest watch. In the morning, we thank thee for thy faithful service. Through the day, we tend thee with respect and feed thee with offerings. Through the night, we know thou burnest for us. O guardian and protector! Be thou the eternal watchfire of this house. Let thy flames never be extinguished. Let thy vigil never cease.