O Varuṇa, the compassionate guardian, is invoked to lift away the highest noose, loosen the middle, and remove the lowest, freeing humanity from all bonds of sin. The prayer seeks to enter Varuṇa’s realm of truth, to dwell under the protection of Aditi, pure and unblemished. As dawn breaks, Agni, the radiant fire, rises high above all, dispelling darkness and flooding the world with light. Born anew, Agni fills every dwelling with his brilliance, shining forth in his glorious form. Agni is described as the swan dwelling in purity, the wealth-bringer in the midspace, the priest upon the altar, and the honored guest in the home. He sits among men and gods, upholding truth in the sky, born of waters, cows, truth, and mountains—he is truth, the great. Agni is invited to sit in the lap of Mother Earth, knowing all paths, yet urged not to scorch her with his heat; instead, he is to shine gently as the inner light. Within the hearth, Agni’s radiance blazes, auspicious and powerful, known as Jātavedas. Once Agni becomes auspicious, he is asked to make all directions auspicious and to settle in his own origin, embodying well-being everywhere. Agni’s story unfolds: first born from the sky, then born again as Jātavedas, and a third time, kindled among men in the waters—those who know their nature nourish him. The worshippers declare their knowledge of Agni’s threefold forms, his many abodes, and his supreme, hidden name—the source from which he has come. Agni is kindled in the ocean, in the waters, with the vision of men, drawn from the sky’s udder. In the third region, he stands, and in the lap of the waters, the mighty ones increase him. When Agni roars, thunder echoes in the sky, the earth trembles, and plants adorn themselves. Newly born and blazing, Agni declares himself, shining between heaven and earth. He is the generous supporter of riches, foundation of treasures, source of wisdom, guardian of Soma, son of strength, king in the waters, shining at the fore among the dawns. Agni is the beacon of all, the embryo of the world, filling heaven and earth at birth. Breaking strongholds, he goes beyond, worshipped by people in five ways. Pure, shining, unwearied, and wise, Agni is immortal among mortals, sending forth red smoke and touching the sky with his bright flame. He adorns the wide earth with splendor, difficult to withstand, radiant for glory. Agni, immortal, becomes youthful when heaven, rich in seed, gives him birth. Every auspicious offering prepared with clarified butter is entrusted to Agni, the god of bright flame, to lead straight to wealth, favor, and divine grace. Agni is asked to share these offerings with the famed ones, beloved by Sūrya and Agni, those who, being born, break forth and split open by birth. The sacrificers entrust all desirable riches to Agni, and, desiring wealth, they disperse to cattle-abounding enclosures. Agni, gracious among men and universal, together with seers who guard Soma, is called to stand firm. Worshippers invoke Heaven and Earth without enmity, seeking wealth and heroic strength. Agni is honored with kindling, awakened with offerings of ghee, and receives oblations. All the gods are asked to raise Agni up with their thoughts, to be auspicious and radiant. Agni is called to go forth, shining with light and auspicious flames, spreading brilliance but not harming offspring or bodies. Agni roars again, thundering like the sky; the earth trembles, plants adorn themselves, and newly born, he blazes forth between heaven and earth. The fame of Agni, of the Bharatas, is heard even when the sun does not shine; he stood firm for Pūru in battles, shining as the divine guest, auspicious for all. The divine waters are invoked to receive sacred ash, to make it gentle and fragrant, so clans may bow, good wives may be begotten, and sin carried away as a mother bears her son. Agni dwells among the waters and plants, born again from their wombs. He is the embryo of plants, trees, all beings, and waters. Having entered the womb with ash, the waters, and the earth, Agni joins with his mothers and sits again. Returning to his seat among waters and earth, Agni lies in the lap of his mother, most auspicious within her. He is called to return with nourishment, food, and life, protecting from harm, and to return with wealth, thriving with sustenance, spreading everywhere. The youngest, most mighty Agni, endowed with his own power, is praised and honored by worshippers who drink after him and praise his form. He is called to be awake, generous lord of wealth, bestower of riches, driving away hatreds, homage to the all-creating one. May the Ādityas, Rudras, and Vasus kindle Agni again; may priests bring riches through sacrifices, increasing Agni’s form with ghee and fulfilling true desires. The ancient and new are asked to depart and scatter; Yama has given a resting place, and the ancestors have made this world for him. Agni is consciousness, sustainer of desire; the sustaining of desire is sought in the worshipper for Agni. He is the ashes and purīṣa of Agni, laid on the funeral pyre, well-arranged, placed above, taking refuge. This is Agni, in whom Indra placed the pressed Soma, swelling in his belly, praised like a thousandfold prize, like a swift horse yoked to the chariot, by those who desire strength. Agni’s radiance in heaven, on earth, in plants and waters, stretches out the wide midspace—his brilliance, the shining one, the ocean, the seer among men. Agni wishes to reach the flood of heaven, approaches the gods and mighty ones. The waters in shining realms beyond the sun, and those below, attend him. The purīṣya fires, united with their attendants, free from falsehood and disease, are called to accept the sacrifice and grant great blessings. Agni is asked to grant ever-desired, abundant, and lasting wealth of cows for the one who invokes him. May sons be victorious, and may Agni’s favor always be with the worshippers.