Praised far and wide, Agni, you are strengthened by the reverence of all. Pure in your vows and possessing the longest life, you reign in greatness and skill, shining among gods and mortals alike. Together with Jamadagni, you are honored in the very womb of truth, where, praised by the wise, you partake of the Soma, ever increasing the power of truth. The gods themselves, ever seeking, have established you, Agni, as the unfailing one—immortal, worthy of sacrifice, wise among the wise, god of gods, the all-knowing. Draw near now to your brother Varuṇa and to the gracious gods, those who uphold truth and accept our offerings. Come to the upholder of peoples, to the kingly Āditya, supporter of all. As a friend comes to a friend, approach us swiftly, Agni, bringing delight. Together with Varuṇa and the shining Maruts, grant happiness to our children, make us shine, and bring joy to our lives. Knowing the will of Varuṇa, drive away his anger from us, Agni. Radiant and fit for sacrifice, release us from all hatreds. At the breaking of each dawn, be our nearest protector, Agni. Bring Varuṇa to us in favor, come graciously, and be easy to invoke. Among mortals, yours is the most fortunate vision, most splendid, pure as clarified butter, precious as the abundance of the cow, radiant in your greatness. Three are your highest, true, and precious births, O Agni. Endless within the end, you arrive surrounded by purity and brilliance, noble and shining. As messenger and priest, you call all to the dwelling, riding a golden chariot, your tongue delightful, your red horses wondrous and joyful, like a father among his kin. Awakening, you become the ally of men in sacrifice, guided by their reins, moving even through difficult places. You, the god, have attained companionship with mortals. Lead us, Agni, to the treasure, the god-given gift, as all the immortals have ordained, as Heaven and Earth, the true creators, let their bounty rain upon us. You were first born in the dwellings, in the great depth of the atmosphere, hidden and mysterious—footless, headless, yet present as the young ones in the bull’s lair. The host arose, the first to perceive, in the womb of truth, in the bull’s lair; precious, wondrous, shining, seven beloved ones were born for the mighty one. Our human forefathers, longing for truth, pressed forward, breaking through stone barriers. They found the hidden treasures rich with milk, calling forth the radiant dawns. Seeing, they broke open the rock, and all around spoke of this deed. Those who bound the cattle, seeking their work, discovered the light and shaped it with their thoughts. Desiring cows, they shattered the enclosing rock, releasing the cattle circling within. With divine speech, they broke open the stronghold rich in cows. They discerned the first name of the cow, finding the three and seven supreme treasures of the mother. Knowing this, the groups hastened together, and the red, glorious forms of the cow became manifest. Darkness vanished; the milk shone bright; the sky gleamed; the sun’s radiance was set in motion by the dawns. The great sun stood in the unyoked space, straight among mortals, observing both the righteous and the unrighteous. Awake from the beginning and the end, they revealed the paths and bore the heaven-allotted treasure. May all the gods—Mitra and Varuṇa—grant truth in every home. Thus, I call upon the shining Agni, the priest who bears all offerings, most worthy of worship. Pure as the udder, he never fails in sacrifice, like a calf purified and anointed with ghee. Among all those worthy of sacrifice, Agni is most worshipful, the guest of all humankind. May Jātavedas, choosing the gods, bring us happiness and be gracious. Agni, immortal among mortals, upholder of order, established among the gods, is the priest most fit for sacrifice, to be kindled by men with offerings. Today, O son of strength, you are born among us, born among both kinds; as messenger, you go forth yoked with swift, upright, shining stallions. The red, fattened, ghee-anointed horses are swiftest in thought for the order. You journey between them, harnessed to the red ones, bringing gods and mortals together. Bring Aryaman, Varuṇa, Mitra, Indra, Viṣṇu, the Maruts, and the Aśvins, O Agni of good horses and chariots, for the well-invoked worshipper. The sacrifice, O Agni, is rich in cows, sheep, and horses—a friend of men, unassailable. It is full of food, offspring, and enduring wealth, broad-based and abundant. Whoever brings you kindling with devotion, or heats your head with fuel, for him be a guardian, drive away all harm, and grant him spaciousness. Whoever gives you food, even if little, and praises you as a delightful guest, for him may the gods establish a home; may firm wealth be his. Whoever at dusk or dawn praises you or makes you dear with offerings, carry him safely across all sin, as a horse returns to its stable. Whoever serves you, Agni, as the immortal, or befriends you with offerings, may his wealth not diminish; let sin and harm pass him by. For those whose sacrifice you accept, may their offerings be pleasing, and may the hymns of the wise bring them increase. The wise, discerning, gather thought upon thought, separating the righteous from the unrighteous among mortals. O god, grant us wealth and lordship; bestow upon us both the limited and the infinite, O mighty one. The faultless poets have instructed the sage, upholding the two difficult paths. Thus, Agni, you see these wonders with your eyes, as a noble one sees with his own. You, Agni, are the best guide for the worshipper, for the one who has pressed Soma. Bring wealth to the eager and diligent, O protector of people, bring wide and shining aid. Whatever we have done for you, with our feet, hands, and bodies, like those who mount a chariot and avoid obstacles, striving swiftly, we have reached the right path. May we, seven inspired ones, be born as the first men of wisdom, O child of dawn. May we become Angirases, sons of heaven, shining, breaking the wealthy mountain. As our ancient fathers did, striving for truth, making their light pure, chanting hymns, breaking through the dark earth, and driving away the dusky ones. Those of good deeds, shining and godly as the gods at their birth, performed their rites. Pure, they strengthened Agni and Indra, seeking the wide wealth of cattle, gathering together. Like cattle in a herd, the strong one has proclaimed the generations of the gods, when their births were mighty. Even among mortals, the wide-ruling one shows favor, and the noble increases for both the higher and the lower. Thus, the story of Agni unfolds—ever-pure, ever-vigilant, bringing gods and mortals together, guiding us to truth, wealth, and light.