In the sacred rites, the descendant of Angiras is blessed by the Vasus, who sprinkle him with the Gāyatrī metre; the Rudras follow, sprinkling him with the Triṣṭubh metre; then the Ādityas, with the Jagatī metre; and finally, all the gods together, the universal Agnis, sprinkle him with the Anuṣṭubh metre, enveloping him in the rhythms of creation. With deliberate intention, with mind and wisdom, with thought and understanding, and with speech and restraint, Agni is set in motion—each invocation ending with svāhā, the sacred offering. Prajāpati and Manu are honored, and Agni Vaiśvānara is invoked, the flame that pervades all. A prayer rises: may every mortal seek the friendship of the divine leader; may all strive for wealth and choose glory for prosperity—svāhā. The strong mother is petitioned: do not break, do not be harmed; be bold and heroic, for Agni will accomplish this. The goddess Earth is called to be firm for well-being, shaped by the power of the Asurī and her own nature. May the oblation please the gods, and may she rise unharmed in the sacrifice. The offering of clarified butter flows to the ancient Hotṛ, the son of strength, wondrous and worthy of choice. From the farthest regions, from distant places, the invocation calls her to come; wherever the sacrificer is, she is to be brought there. The red horse—Agni, full of moisture and much beloved—is summoned from the farthest distance, to overcome the foes. All woods placed for Agni are offered as clarified butter; all is accepted by the youngest one. Even what the upajihvikā eats, what the ant creeps over—let all become clarified butter for Agni; let him accept it, the youngest one. Day after day, Agni bears the offerings without weariness, standing like a horse for whom grass is brought. With the nourishment of wealth, rejoicing together with food, the prayer is for protection from harm by neighbors. At the navel of the earth, in the kindling of Agni, for the increase of wealth, the great one is called upon—the joy-giving, much-praised, worshipful Agni, conqueror and mighty in battles. All armies, fearless and attacking, all bands, even thieves and robbers, are placed into Agni’s mouth. With his jaws, he is asked to devour the filth-covered and the robbers; with his teeth, to consume the thieves, those who are easily consumed. Those among people who are filthy, thieves, and robbers in the forest, and evil-doers in the thickets, are placed between Agni’s jaws. Whoever is hostile, whoever hates, reviles, or slanders—Agni is petitioned to make them all into ashes. The prayer is sharpened, as are strength and power, and the authority of the victorious one for whom the priest serves. Their arms are lifted, their splendor and strength as well; by prayer, foes are destroyed and one’s own led forward. The Lord of food is invoked: grant us food, vigorous and free from disease; grant us the giver who crosses over, and strength for bipeds and quadrupeds. Agni, shining and golden, blazed forth over the wide earth, difficult to endure, his life radiant for glory. Agni, the immortal, was born with his powers when the heaven, rich in seed, gave him birth. Night and dawn, of one mind yet different forms, nurture the single child together. Heaven and earth, the golden one, shines forth within; the gods, givers of wealth, uphold Agni. The sage puts on all forms, bestowing prosperity on bipeds and quadrupeds. Savitar, the worthy, has revealed the highest, shining forth along the path of dawn. Agni is praised as the splendid eagle, Garutmat: threefold is his head, Gāyatrī his eye, Bṛhadrathantara his wings. Praise is his soul, metres his limbs, Yajus his name; Sāman is his body, Vāmadeva his tail fit for sacrifice, the platforms his thighs, the claws his feet. He is the splendid eagle, Garutmat—go to heaven, fly to the sun. He is the stride of Viṣṇu, slayer of rivals: ascending with the Gāyatrī metre, he strides upon the earth; ascending with Triṣṭubh, he strides in the atmosphere; with Jagatī, he strides in heaven; with Anuṣṭubh, he strides forth in all directions, overcoming adversaries and destroying enemies. Agni roared, thundering like the sky; the earth trembled and plants adorned themselves. Born at once, he blazed forth, shining between heaven and earth with his radiance. Agni is entreated: return to us, do not turn away; bring life, splendor, offspring, wealth, intelligence, riches, and nourishment. Angiras is invoked: may a hundred be uncovered, a thousand covered; with abundance upon abundance, restore what was lost, restore wealth. Return again with nourishment, O Agni; return with food and life, protect us again from harm. Turn back together with wealth, swell forth with sustenance, encompassing all from every side. Agni is brought from within the earth, firm and unmoving; may all people desire him, and may his kingdom not fall away. Varuṇa is invoked: lift away the highest noose, loosen the middle, and remove the lowest; then, O Āditya, may we, sinless, belong to your rule of truth and to Aditi. At the fore, great among the dawns, Agni rises high, driving away darkness and coming with light. Shining with his radiant form, he fills all dwellings. The swan dwells in purity; the wealth-bringer in the midspace; the priest on the altar; the guest in the house. He sits among men, among the gods, in truth, in the sky; born of waters, of cows, of truth, of mountains—truth, the great. Agni is asked to sit in the lap of the mother, knowing all paths; not to burn her with his heat or flame, but to shine forth as the bright light within her. Within, Agni, with radiance, in the hearth’s own seat; with power, blazing, O Jātavedas, be auspicious. Having become auspicious, Agni is asked to sit, to make all directions auspicious, and to settle in his own origin. Agni was first born from the sky; from there, Jātavedas was born a second time. The third time, with men, he is kindled in the waters—those who know their nature nourish him. The threefold forms of Agni are known; his abodes, distributed in many places; his supreme name, hidden, is known, as is the source from which he came. In the ocean, with men, in the waters, with men’s vision, Agni is kindled from the sky’s udder. In the third region he stands, and in the lap of the waters the mighty ones have increased him. Agni roared, as the sky thunders; the earth trembled, the plants adorned themselves. Newly born, blazing up, he declared himself—shining between heaven and earth with his radiance.