O Agni, thou fire of vengeance! Thou scourge of the rākṣasas! Thou burnest away evil as the sun burneth away the night. The demons tremble at thy name. The dark powers flee before thy blazing face. Thou art the warrior of the gods, the guardian of the law, the destroyer of lies.

The rākṣasas plot in darkness, but thy light findeth them. They hide in the forest, in the mountain caves, beneath the earth itself—yet thy flames reach everywhere. Thou art faster than their flight. Thou art hotter than their malice. When they scheme against the righteous man, thou comest roaring down upon them like an avalanche of fire.

O Agni, thy anger is just! Thy rage is holy! When the sorcerer casteth his evil spell, thou burnest through the magic. When the enemy rakṣasa raiseth his club against the innocent, thou metetest out swift punishment. Thy flames are the sword of dharma. Thy heat is the righteous wrath of heaven.

We invoke thy protection, O fire! Ward us from the enemies that prowl in the darkness. Burn away the curses that have been laid upon us. Consume the arrows of the sorcerer before they strike. Let thy wall of flame surround our home, our cattle, our children. Let no demon dare approach the place where thou dwellest.

The rākṣasas are many, and their hunger is great. But thou, O Agni, art mightier still. One spark of thy fire, and a thousand demons perish. Thou needest not a weapon—thy very being is war. Thy smoke is poison to the powers of darkness. Thy embers are stones that strike them down. Be our warrior, O Agni. Be our protector. Be our terrible, beautiful, avenging flame.