In the ancient days, when the world was filled with unseen forces and the people sought protection, they turned to Agni, the sacred fire. Agni, with his sharp, blazing flame, drove away the demons that threatened the peace of the land. It was he who led the people safely past their foes, his radiance shining beyond the farthest reaches, across deserts and unknown distances. Agni saw all things with penetrating insight; he beheld the worlds together, and his vision encompassed all. Born on the far side of the vast expanse, Agni, ever bright, guided the people beyond their adversaries. The blessings of Vaiśvānara, the universal form of Agni, were sought from afar, and the people called upon Agni to turn towards their praise. They invited Vaiśvānara to their sacrifice, accompanied and honored, wishing for Agni’s presence in their hymns and offerings. Vaiśvānara accepted the praises and hymns of the Angirases, the ancient seers; among them, he bestowed glory and sovereignty. The people sought Vaiśvānara, upholder of order and lord of the light of truth, whose warmth never fails. He had fulfilled all the seasons, releasing their cycles as the master. The offspring of the sacrifice rose up, honoring him. Agni, even in distant realms, was the desire of what has been and what will be; he shone forth alone as the one sovereign. There came a time when the thousand-eyed one, vigilant and powerful, approached. He yoked the oath to his chariot, seeking out the curser, like a wolf tracking the lair of the unprotected. The people prayed: “Turn away from us, O oath, as fire burns up a stagnant pool; strike down the curser here, as lightning strikes a tree.” Whoever cursed them, or whom they themselves had cursed, or whoever cursed them from a curse—they cast him down to death, like a rotten branch thrown to the dog. They invoked the brilliance that dwells in the lion, the tiger, and the spotted hyena; in the flashing fire, in the priest, and in the sun. They called for that divine, gracious power which bore Indra to come to them, united with glory. They sought the goddess, who is present in the elephant, in the two-tusked one, in gold, in brightness, in the waters, in cows, and in men. That gracious goddess who bore Indra was invited to come, united with radiance. She, who is in the chariot, in its wheels, in the bull, in strength, in the wind, in the rain, in the might of Varuṇa, was called to join them, united with radiance. She, who is in the king, in the drum, in the measure of length, in the horse, in strength, in the man, and in skill, was invoked to come, united with radiance. They prayed that glory, the offering, might increase, inspired by Indra—of a thousandfold might, well-sustained and accomplished, spreading forth for long vision. They cautioned not to increase the offering for the sake of seniority alone. To Indra, the glorious, with glories, the glorious one, they offered worship with reverence, asking him to grant a kingdom inspired by his power, so that in his granting of glory, they too might be glorious. By glory Indra was born, by glory Agni, by glory Soma; by the glory of all beings, they proclaimed themselves the most glorious. Seeking protection, they prayed for safety from heaven and earth, calling upon Soma and Savitṛ to grant them safety. May the midspace be safe, and with the offering of the Seven Sages, may safety be theirs. For their village and for the four directions, they asked Savitṛ to grant abundant strength and well-being; may Indra, free from enemies, grant safety, and let the anger of kings depart elsewhere. They wished for no enemy from below or above, nor from behind or in front, calling upon Indra to guard them from all sides. For mind, thought, understanding, intention, and awareness; for wisdom, hearing, and sight, they offered worship with offerings. For exhalation, inhalation, breath, and abundant nourishment, they honored Sarasvatī of wide expanse with offerings. They prayed that the seers would not abandon them—those divine, those who protect the body, those born of their bodies. They called upon the immortals to join with mortals, granting a span of life and a crossing for living. To foster harmony, they sought to release anger from their hearts, loosening it like a bowstring, so that, being of one mind, they might act together as friends. As friends, they vowed to act together, laying down anger beneath a stone, heavy and burdensome. Standing over anger with their heel and the sole of their foot, they wished that no one would speak against them, bringing their minds under control. They honored the sacred grass, free from anger and fit for good conduct, calling it the pacifier of anger for those who are free from wrath. This sacred grass, with many roots, stood in the ocean; arisen from the earth, it was called the pacifier of anger. They cast away destructive weapons, leading away chief weapons, so that none might speak against them, bringing their minds under control. From the sky, from the earth, and from all that exists, they called for healing. Trees stood upright, dreaming as they remained, and they prayed that disease would depart. A hundred remedies were theirs, a thousand gathered together; may the best remedy flow forth, the most excellent, destroyer of disease. They recognized the healing substance as the urine of Rudra, the navel of immortality, named Viṣāṇakā, arisen from the roots of the ancestors, destroyer of wind-caused affliction. They addressed the evil mind: “Depart! Why do you speak harmful things? Go away, I do not desire you. Wander among the trees and forests; let my mind dwell in homes and among cattle.” They prayed to drive out and expel whatever was hostile, whether awake or asleep, and asked Agni to remove all evil deeds, those not accepted, far from them. To Indra and the Lord of Speech, they appealed: even if they acted wrongly, may the wise Āṅgirasas deliver them from misfortune and sin. They addressed the mystery of dreams: “You are neither living nor dead, you are the immortal embryo among the gods, O dream. Varuṇānī is your mother, Yama your father, and you are called Araru.” They declared their knowledge of the dream’s origin: the son of divine mothers, agent of Yama, Antaka, Death. Thus they knew the dream and prayed: protect them from evil dreams. In this way, the people, guided by the sacred fire, the blessings of the deities, the wisdom of the sages, and the harmony of friendship, sought safety, glory, healing, and peace in their lives, invoking the divine powers to watch over them and lead them ever onward.