Study a Verse

• When Hariścandra was to sacrifice his son Rohita, Rohita arranged to save his own life by purchasing Śunaḥśepha from Śunaḥśepha’s father to be sacrificed in the yajña.
• Śunaḥśepha was sold to Mahārāja Hariścandra because he was the middle son, between the oldest and the youngest.
• It appears that the sacrifice of a man as an animal in yajña has been practiced for a very long time.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Longing and conflict → Detachment and justice. Dynastic episodes explore personal desire and force.

Chapters 13–17 of Canto 9: Nimi, Purūravā and Paraśurāma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 16: Lord Paraśurāma Destroys the World’s Ruling Class

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In the sacrificial arena of Hariścandra, the son of Ajīgarta named Śunaḥśepha was meant to be sacrificed, but by the mercy of the Prajāpatis he was released. Thereafter, he became Devarāta in the dynasty of Gādhi.