By the power of truth, the faithful invoke you, O Agni, with offerings of cows and honeyed gifts. Even in darkness, the earth is nourished by your radiant presence, and she, filled with milk by her consort, flourishes under your gaze. By truth, even the unyoked bull is sustained, receiving milk along his back; he wanders, steadfast and unmoving, with two companions, drawing forth the bright milk from the speckled cow. Through truth, the Angiras, breaking open the mountain, rejoiced with the cows and encircled the dawn. The radiant light was born in you, Agni, as the men surrounded the dawn and she revealed herself. By the same truth, the divine, immortal waters—untainted, sweet as honey, flowing in waves—have set themselves to pour forth for your seat, like swift steeds in their courses. Let us not desire the marvels of another, nor covet the cows of another’s house, nor the wealth of our neighbor. O Agni, may we not fall into the debt of a brother’s falsehood, nor take the skill of a friend or the strength of an enemy. Protect us with your many protections; delight in us, O well-armed one, and bring us joy. Strike down and break apart the oppressor; destroy the demon, even if it has grown mighty. Receive these praises graciously, O Agni; let my hymns touch these offerings. Accept also the prayers of the Angiras, and may your divine blessing endure with you through time. All these paths, O Agni, the wise creator has made known to you—the hidden words and the inspired utterances of the poet. With thoughts and chants, I praise them. O Agni, make a path as broad as the earth; advance like a king with his elephant. With your companions, stand firm on the path and strike down the demons with your blazing flames. Your sparks fly swiftly and touch all things, shining fiercely. Burn away the insects with your heat, O Agni, and send your embers everywhere. Send forth your spies, be the swiftest, be the unassailable guardian of this people. Whoever speaks ill of us, whether far or near, let none of them harm us, O Agni. Rise up, stretch yourself out, and let your enemies flee from your sharpness. Burn down those who create hostility against us, as dry wood is consumed by fire. Stand upright for us, shoot back at our foes, reveal the divine powers, O Agni. Lower the strength of sorcerers, destroy both kin and stranger who are our enemies. He who seeks you, O youngest one, and approaches the path of prayer, knows your favor. For him, all bright days and riches shine forth, and noble ones illuminate distant places. May he who pleases you with constant offerings and hymns be fortunate and generous, O Agni. May prosperity fill his home and life, and may all bright days and blessings gather for him. I praise your favor loudly; may this song endure with you. May we honor you with fine horses and splendid chariots, and may we uphold our dominion day by day. Dwell here abundantly, O Agni, come near morning and evening, shining day by day. With cheerful hearts, may we play and serve you; with your brilliance, may we stand strong among people. Whoever approaches you with fine horses, splendid gold, and a chariot full of wealth, you become his protector and friend, delighting in the hospitality of men. With words of kinship, I loosen the bonds of greatness and follow the lineage of my father, Gotama. You, O Hotar, youngest and well-intentioned master of the household, understand the meaning of this speech for us. Ever-wakeful, swift, well-disposed, untiring, unmalicious, and diligent—may these guardians, sitting together, protect us from harm, O Agni. Those guardians, acting without self-interest, saw through the darkness and were protected from evil; you, all-knowing, preserved those doers of good, and the hostile, greedy ones did not overpower them. With you as ally and protector, by your guidance may we attain riches. Dispel all curses, true or false, and by your support, let us act without hesitation. With this kindling, O Agni, we worship you; accept our praised hymn. Burn away the envious, protect us from harm, from deceitful and malicious ones, O friend of the great. With united devotion, let us worship Agni Vaiśvānara, the generous, with great praise. With mighty, unwavering words, let us support him, the upholder of both worlds. Do not disdain the gift the god has given to me, a mortal—Gṛtsu, the immortal, wise Vaiśvānara, mighty Agni, for cooking and sustenance. He, of double height, great, with sharp flames—a bull with a thousand streams—knows the hidden track of the cow and has declared to me this inspired thought. Agni blazed forth with sharp jaws and burning flame, bountiful and steadfast. Those who diminish the domain of Varuṇa or the order of Mitra, he destroys. Like women without brothers, divided, like hostile wives and mothers at odds—evil, false, and untruthful—such people have made this deep path. O Agni, this is my small, shining hymn for you; may it not burden you like a great load. You have established the vast, firm, deep, and mighty foundation with your sevenfold energy. Upon this, let our thoughts and intentions be united, purifying the hymn with resolve. On the beautiful hide of the spotted one, the radiant form is set to be proclaimed. What is to be said of this speech of mine, placed in secret? The wise speak of it as hidden. As water flows away from the cows, so the beloved form, the foremost step, departs. This is truly great and vast, which the cow, united with the dawn, follows as of old. Shining on the path of truth, hidden, the swift one perceives swiftly. Then, shining, he accompanied his parents and followed the hidden, beautiful one of the spotted. In the mother’s place, in the highest abode, the tongue of the bull—shining and devoted—sits. I speak the truth, seeking with reverence, with praise, O Jātavedas—what is this? You possess all that is here, whatever wealth is in heaven or on earth. What is the wealth for us, what precious thing of yours? Tell us, O Jātavedas, who knows. What is your highest, hidden path, that step of yours, like a track, which we have not reached? What is the boundary, the work, the favor, that we may swiftly reach the prize, like racers? When will the goddesses, wives of the immortal, the shining dawns, extend their color to us? With untrue, feeble, and deceptive words, those unsatisfied by the offering speak here, O Agni; what do they say in this place? Let those without weapons sit together in counsel. For the glory of this kindled, mighty, and generous one, the face of the house shines forth; clad in bright garments and beautiful form, he blazes as a lord of wealth, bestowing many gifts. Rise up, O Agni, priest of our sacrifice; stand upright for the rite, most worthy of worship. For you understand all our hymns, O wise one, inspirer of our thoughts. The unerring priest has sat down among the tribes—Agni, gentle and wise in assemblies. He raised his light upward like the sun and, like smoke, stretched forth to the sky.