O Agni, thou purifier! Thy flames consume the impurity of the world. Everything that is corrupt, everything that is defiled, falleth before thy sacred fire. There is no stain so dark that thy light cannot penetrate it; there is no evil so great that thy flames cannot consume it.

We bring our sins to thee, O Agni. We cast them into thy fire. Watch as they burn away like dried leaves in autumn! The smoke riseth upward, carrying our confession to the heavens. The ashes fall to the earth, and we are made new.

The worshipper who approacheth thee with a pure heart receiveth thy blessing. His household becometh clean; his fields becometh fertile; his children becometh wise. But the wicked one who offendeth thee shall find no refuge. Thy flames shall pursue him; thy heat shall consume him. There is no escape from thy righteous anger.

We are afraid of thee, O Agni, with a holy fear. We do not approach thee carelessly; we do not speak in thy presence without thinking. We prepare ourselves; we cleanse ourselves; we come before thee with respect and reverence.

Thou art the guardian of the sacred law, O Agni! Thou art the keeper of the cosmic order. When chaos threateneth to overturn all things, when the demons attempt to destroy the world, thou standest firm. Thy flames do not waver; thy fire doth not fail. Thou holdest the boundaries between the realm of the gods and the realm of the demons.

Protect us, O mighty flame! Guard us from all that would harm us! Keep the demons at bay! Bind the serpents! Restrain the forces of chaos! Let us live in peace and security, knowing that thou art watching over us.

In the morning, we kindle thee and greet the rising sun. In the evening, we kindle thee and bid farewell to the setting sun. At night, thy flames are the only light in the darkness. Thou art always present; thou art never absent. Thou watchest over us while we sleep.

The animals fear thy flames; the birds avoid thy smoke; the insects flee from thy heat. Yet all creatures depend upon thee. The cow giveth milk because she is warmed by thy light; the plant groweth because the sun—thy brother—shineth upon it. All life, in the end, dependeth upon thee.

We make the offering to thee, O Agni—the butter, the grain, the soma. These are the gifts that mortals can give; these are the gifts that thou dost love. Take these offerings and be satisfied! Let thy stomach be filled; let thy thirst be quenched! In return, grant us thy protection!

The poor man brings his little portion; the rich man brings his great store. All are equal before thee, O Agni. Thou regardest not the size of the offering but the purity of the heart. If the gift is given with love, thou acceptest it. If the gift is given with greed, thou rejecteth it.

Thy arms are strong, O warrior god! Thou art not only the priest but also the fighter. When the gods go forth to battle, thou art in the vanguard. Thou dost burn the chariots of the enemies; thou dost set fire to their fortifications. The demons flee before thy flames like moths before the torch.

Yet even in war, thou remainest just. Thou dost not slay the innocent; thou dost not harm those who are without blame. Thy fire burneth only the guilty, only the corrupt, only those who have chosen to walk the path of evil.

O Agni, thou most worthy of praise! The ancient seers sang thy hymn; the ancestors called upon thee; the gods themselves revere thee. We, too, raise our voices in thy honor! Accept this hymn from the lips of the Vasiṣṭha singers!

Guard us from evil! Purify us from all corruption! Make us worthy of thy favor! Let thy flames illumine our path! Keep us safe from all danger! O Agni, most blessed and most mighty, receive our prayer!