Rohita, the son of King Harishchandra, approached his father with curiosity and asked, “What is this?” In response, Harishchandra explained everything to Rohita in detail, while Varuna, the lord of waters, listened intently to their conversation. Harishchandra then addressed Varuna, saying, “O great king, with the priests and chief priest, I will swiftly and purely sacrifice to Vishnu, lord of the worlds, using an animal. O Varuna, you should permit this.” But hearing Rohita’s words, Varuna was seized by great anger and afflicted Harishchandra with dropsy, a painful disease. Undeterred, Rohita took up his divine bow, mounted his chariot, and set out for the forest, his heart free from sorrow. He journeyed to the very place where his father, Harishchandra, had worshipped Varuna and received a son on the banks of the sacred Ganga. There, Rohita arrived and stayed for five years. In the sixth year, while still living there, Rohita heard news of his father’s illness. Reflecting deeply, Rohita thought, “What fruit or purpose is there in a son who, having been born, brings suffering to his father?” As he pondered this, Rohita noticed holy sages dwelling on the banks of the Ganga. Among them was Ajigarta, the renowned son of a sage, accompanied by his three sons and wife. Their means of living had been exhausted, and seeing their plight, Rohita bowed respectfully and asked, “Why are you emaciated, with your livelihood diminished, and why do you appear so dejected?” Ajigarta replied, “There is no means of sustenance for the body, and I have many dependents. Without food, we will die. Tell me, what should we do?” Rohita, hearing this, spoke again, “What is in your mind? Tell me, best of speakers.” Ajigarta answered, “I have no gold, silver, cows, grain, garments, or such things, O tiger among kings. I have no means of livelihood. I have sons, and a wife as well; I am the fifth among them. O best of kings, none of these can be bought with food.” Rohita asked, “What do you wish to buy, O wise one Ajigarta? Speak the truth to me; nothing else should be said, for brahmins are speakers of truth.” Ajigarta replied, “Of my three sons, or myself, or even my wife—take any one of us; by selling, we may live. What use is a wife, O wise one? What use is an old man like me? Give my young son, whichever of my sons you desire.” Rohita responded, “I will not buy your eldest son, Śunahpuccha, nor does their mother wish to sell the youngest. Therefore, I will buy the middle one, Śunaḥśepa; state the price.” Rohita explained, “A human is a more worthy offering to Varuna than an animal. If you are selling, O great sage, tell me the true price.” Ajigarta agreed and set the price for his son: “A thousand cows, grain, gold coins, and garments. O prince, give the price, and I will give you my own son.” Rohita accepted, gave the wealth and garments, and took Śunaḥśepa to his father, informing him of the purchase. He said, “Offer sacrifice to Varuna with this human victim, and you will be freed from disease.” Harishchandra, following his son’s words, prepared to do so. However, Harishchandra reflected on the tradition: “Brahmins, kshatriyas, and vaishyas are to be protected by the king; especially, the brahmins are the teachers of all classes. Even those like me are to be honored as much as Vishnu; how much more so! If kings show contempt for them, the destruction of their own lineage results. How can I, making this wretched one an animal for sacrifice, protect him? And how could I make a brahmin an animal? That is not proper. Better to die at once than ever make a brahmin an animal for sacrifice. Therefore, my son, go happily with the brahmin.” At that moment, a bodiless voice resounded, saying, “O king, go to the Gautamī River with your officiating priests, the chief priest, the sacrificial animal, the Brahmin boy, Rohita, and your son. You must perform the sacrifice there, but without killing Śunaḥśepa; the sacrifice will be completed in that way, therefore go, O wise one.” Hearing these divine words, Harishchandra quickly went to the Ganges, accompanied by the sage Vishvamitra and the chief priest Vasishta. With the sage Vāmadeva and other ascetics as well, he reached the Gautamī Ganges and was consecrated for the human sacrifice. He prepared the altar, pavilion, fire-pits, sacrificial posts, and animals, performing everything according to the rules as the sacrifice commenced. Śunaḥśepa, as the sacrificial victim, was bound to the post with mantras and sprinkled with water. Witnessing this, Vishvamitra spoke: “Let all the gods, sages, Harishchandra, and especially Rohita, give their consent for this excellent Brahmin, Śunaḥśepa. To whom this oblation is to be offered, let all those gods individually give their consent, especially for Śunaḥśepa.” He continued, “With fat, hair, skin, and flesh, all properly consecrated with mantras in the sacrifice, this excellent Brahmin Śunaḥśepa is to be offered as the victim in the fire. Let all the foremost Brahmins, having approved me, go to the Gautamī, bathe, and then worship the gods individually.” Thus, the sacred ritual unfolded, guided by tradition, wisdom, and divine intervention.