षष्ठं संवत्सरं तत्र चरित्वा रोहितः पुरीम् ।
उपव्रजन्नजीगर्ताद् अक्रीणान्मध्यमं सुतम् ।
शुनःशेफं पशुं पित्रे प्रदाय समवन्दत ॥ २० ॥
sastham samvatsaram tatra
sastham-the sixth; samvatsaram-year; tatra-in the forest; caritva-wandering; rohitah-the son of Hariscandra; purim-in his capital; upavrajan-went there; ajigartat-from Ajigarta; akrinat-purchased; madhyamam-the second; sutam-son; sunahsepham-whose name was Sunahsepha; pasum-to use as the sacrificial animal; pitre-unto his father; pradaya-offering; samavandata-respectfully offered his obeisances.
Thereafter, in the sixth year, after wandering in the forest, Rohita returned to the capital of his father. He purchased from Ajigarta his second son, named Sunahsepha. Then he offered Sunahsepha to his father, Hariscandra, to be used as the sacrificial animal and offered Hariscandra his respectful obeisances.
It appears that in those days a man could be purchased for any purpose. Hariscandra was in need of a person to sacrifice as the animal in a yajna and thus fulfill his promise to Varuna, and a man was purchased from another man for this purpose. Millions of years ago, animal sacrifice and slave trade both existed. Indeed, they have existed since time immemorial.