Ajigarta, a sage burdened by poverty, spoke earnestly to Rohita, the king’s son. He confessed his dire plight: “There is no means of sustenance for my family. I have many dependents, and without food, we will perish. Tell me, what should we do?” Hearing these words, Rohita responded to the sage, “What is in your mind? Speak, O best of speakers.” Ajigarta revealed his hardship: “I have no gold, silver, cows, grain, garments, or any such possessions, O tiger among kings. I have no way to earn a livelihood. I have sons and a wife; I am the fifth among them. But none of these can be exchanged for food.” Rohita asked, “What do you wish to sell, O wise Ajigarta? Speak the truth to me; nothing but the truth should be spoken, for brahmins are known for their truthfulness.” Ajigarta replied, “Of my three sons, or myself, or even my wife—take any one of us; by selling, perhaps we may live.” Rohita answered, “What use is a wife, O wise one? What use is an old man like you? Give me your young son, whichever of your sons you desire.” Ajigarta said, “I will not offer you my eldest son, Śunahpuccha, nor does their mother wish to part with the youngest. Therefore, take the middle one, Śunaḥśepa; state your price.” Rohita replied, “A human is a more worthy offering to Varuṇa than an animal. If you are willing to sell, 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, the sage’s son, to his father, King Hariścandra. Rohita informed his father that he had bought the sage’s son. He said, “Offer sacrifice to Varuṇa with this human victim, and you will be freed from disease.” Thus spoke Hariścandra, following his son’s words. He reflected, “The tradition declares that brahmins, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas are to be protected by the king; especially, the brahmins, who are the teachers of all classes, O best of twice-born. Even those like me are to be honored as much as Viṣṇu; how much more so! If kings show contempt for them, the destruction of their own lineage results.” He continued, troubled, “How can I, by 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 spoke, 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, the best of kings quickly journeyed to the Ganges, accompanied by the sage Viśvāmitra and the chief priest Vasiṣṭha. With the sage Vāmadeva and other ascetics as well, they reached the Gautamī Ganges, where the king was consecrated for the human sacrifice. They prepared the altar, pavilion, fire-pits, sacrificial posts, and animals, performing everything according to the sacred rules as the sacrifice commenced. Śunaḥśepa, as the sacrificial victim, was bound to the post with mantras and sprinkled with water. Witnessing this, Viśvāmitra spoke: “Let all the gods, sages, Hariścandra, 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. With fat, hair, skin, and flesh, all properly consecrated with mantras, 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. Praising with mantras and hymns, let them, delighting in auspiciousness, go joyfully; let the sages and gods, the enjoyers of the oblation, protect him.” The sages replied, “So be it,” and the best of kings agreed. Then Śunaḥśepa went to the Ganges, purifier of the three worlds. Having bathed, he praised those gods who were the recipients of the oblation. The hosts of gods, pleased, spoke to Śunaḥśepa in the presence of sage Viśvāmitra: “Let this sacrifice be completed without the killing of Śunaḥśepa.” Then Varuṇa, in particular, spoke to the best of kings, and thus the king’s famous human sacrifice was completed. By the grace of the gods, by the favor of the sages, and by the sanctity of the holy place, the king’s sacrifice was fulfilled. Viśvāmitra honored Śunaḥśepa in the assembly and, having honored him before the gods, made him his own son. That Kauśika made him the eldest of his sons, but the other sons of wise Viśvāmitra did not accept this. Then Kauśika cursed those sons who considered themselves superior to Śunaḥśepa in seniority, and he honored those who did not. Thus, O best of sages, all this took place on the southern bank of the Gautamī, as you have requested to hear.