SB 9.7.20

TEXT 20

TEXT

षष्ठं संवत्सरं तत्र चरित्वा रोहितः पुरीम् ।
उपव्रजन्नजीगर्ताद् अक्रीणान्मध्यमं सुतम् ।
शुनःशेफं पशुं पित्रे प्रदाय समवन्दत ॥ २० ॥

sastham samvatsaram tatra

caritva rohitaḥ purim

upavrajann ajigartad

akrinan madhyamam sutam

sunaḥsepham pasum pitre

pradaya samavandata

sastham-the sixth; samvatsaram-year; tatra-in the forest; caritva-wandering; rohitaḥ-the son of Hariscandra; purim-in his capital; upavrajan-went there; ajigartat-from Ajigarta; akrinat-purchased; madhyamam-the second; sutam-son; sunaḥsepham-whose name was Sunaḥsepha; pasum-to use as the sacrificial animal; pitre-unto his father; pradaya-offering; samavandata-respectfully offered his obeisances.

TRANSLATION

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 Sunaḥsepha. Then he offered Sunaḥsepha to his father, Hariscandra, to be used as the sacrificial animal and offered Hariscandra his respectful obeisances.

PURPORT

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.

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