In the dawn’s hush, the seeker calls upon Agni, the radiant priest who bears all offerings, the most worthy of worship. Agni is likened to a calf, pure and anointed with ghee, never failing in the sacrifice. Among all who are honored in ritual, Agni stands foremost, the guest of all humankind. Jātavedas, the knower of all births, is invoked to select the gods and bring happiness to those who worship. Agni, though immortal among mortals, upholds the cosmic order, established among the gods as the priest. By his greatness and purity, he is fit for sacrifice and is kindled by men with their offerings. Today, Agni is born among us, the son of strength, born among both kinds—gods and men. As a messenger, he is yoked to swift, upright, and shining stallions. These red, fattened horses, anointed with ghee, are swiftest in thought and uphold the order. Agni journeys between them, harnessed to the red steeds, uniting gods and mortals. He is called upon to bring Aryaman, Varuṇa, Mitra, Indra, Viṣṇu, the Maruts, and the Aśvins—those with good horses, chariots, and gifts—so that they may come for the well-invoked worshipper. The sacrifice offered to Agni is rich: cows, sheep, and horses abound, and it is a friend to men, ever unassailable. This offering is full of food, progeny, and enduring wealth, broad-based and abundant. Whoever brings Agni kindling with devotion, or heats his head with fuel, becomes the god’s ward; Agni drives away harm and makes the devotee’s life spacious. Even if one brings only a little food and welcomes Agni as a delightful guest, the gods establish a home for him, and firm wealth belongs to the generous giver. Whether at dusk or dawn, whoever praises Agni or makes him dear with offerings, Agni carries the worshipper safely across all sin, like a horse returning to its stable. Those who serve Agni as the immortal, or make him a friend with offerings, find their wealth undiminished; sin and harm pass them by. When Agni accepts the sacrifice well-placed by a mortal, the offerings are pleasing, and the hymns of the wise bring increase. The wise gather thought upon thought, separating the righteous from the unrighteous. They pray to Agni for wealth and lordship, for both the finite and the infinite. Faultless poets instruct the sage, upholding the two difficult paths. Thus, Agni sees wonders with his own eyes, as the noble sees with his own. Agni is the best guide for the worshipper, especially the one who has pressed Soma. He brings wealth to the eager and diligent, offering wide and shining aid. All that is done for Agni—with feet, hands, and bodies—like mounting a chariot and avoiding obstacles, those who strive swiftly reach the right path. May the seven inspired ones be born as the first men of wisdom, O child of dawn; may they become Angirases, sons of heaven, shining and breaking the wealthy mountain. As the ancient fathers did, striving for truth, making their light pure, chanting hymns, breaking through the dark earth, and driving away the dusky ones, so do those of good deeds, shining and godly, perform their rites. Pure, they strengthen Agni and Indra, seeking wide wealth in cattle, gathering together. Like cattle in a herd, the strong one proclaims the generations of the gods, their mighty births. Even among mortals, the wide-ruling one shows favor, increasing for both the higher and the lower. Though the works of Agni have not been performed, the seekers enter truth and the shining dawns, encountering the ever-new, many-formed, pure Agni—the lovely eye of the god who delights in hymns. Praises are spoken to Agni, the wise sage. He is asked to shine forth, grant prosperity, and bestow great wealth, for he is the bestower of many gifts. Rudra, king of the rite and true-offering priest of both worlds, is called to make Agni, ancient and golden-formed, the thunderer’s helper, his aid. A seat is prepared for Agni, as a wife adorned for her husband. He is invited to draw near, surrounded, and sit, with benevolent thoughts turned toward the worshippers. Hymns are offered to the attentive and unsated Agni, wise and kindly-willed. Praise is proclaimed to the immortal god, invoked as the stone presses out the sweet drink. Agni alone reconciles, knowing truth and being self-guided. The worshippers wonder when the hymns and friendships of the shared feast will dwell in Agni’s house. They ask, “How shall we speak to Varuṇa, to Heaven, so we do not offend? How to Mitra, Earth, Aryaman, and Bhaga? How to the mighty Dhishṇyas, to Vāta the swift and auspicious, to the far-traveling Aśvins, to Rudra the slayer? How to Pūṣan the nourisher, to Rudra the generous, to Viṣṇu the wide-striding, and to Śarva the great? How to the host of Maruts, to Sūrya the great? How shall we answer Aditi, the mighty, for the accomplishment of heaven?” By truth, the established truth is invoked for Agni, together with cows and honeyed offerings. Though dark, she is nourished by the shining one, filled with milk by her spouse. Even the bull, though unyoked, is nourished with milk from the back; unmoving, he wandered with two companions, drawing forth bright milk from the speckled one. By truth, the Angiras break open the mountain, rejoicing with cows, circling the dawn as she appears and light is born in Agni. By truth, divine immortal waters, untainted, with waves and honeyed sweetness, flow forth for the seat, like steeds in their courses. The worshippers pray not to covet another’s wonder, nor the cows or wealth of a neighbor. They ask Agni not to accept the debt of a brother’s falsehood, nor the skill of a friend, nor the strength of an enemy. Agni is called to protect with his protections, delighting and well-armed, to bring joy, strike back, break apart the oppressor, and destroy the demon, even if mighty. With praises, Agni is asked to be gracious, to touch the offerings with hymns, to accept the prayers of the Angiras, and to let his blessing grow old with him. All paths, the wise creator has made known to Agni, including hidden words and the poet’s poetry, which are praised with thoughts and inspired chants. Agni is called to make a path as broad as the earth, to advance like a king with an elephant. Following the path with his companions, he is to stand and strike the demons with blazing flames. His sparks fly swiftly, touching everywhere, shining fiercely. Agni is asked to burn the insects with his heat and send forth embers everywhere, completing the sacred work. Thus, throughout the ritual, Agni is the center—the immortal, the guide, the reconciler, and the protector. He is praised, welcomed, and entreated to bring the gods, to bestow wealth and safety, and to carry the worshippers across all obstacles, into light and prosperity.