devarātaṁ ca bhārgavam

putraṁ kṛtvā śunaḥśephaṁ

devarātaṁ ca bhārgavam

ājīgartaṁ sutān āha

jyeṣṭha eṣa prakalpyatām

Viśvāmitra accepted the son of Ajīgarta known as Śunaḥśepha, who was born in the Bhṛgu dynasty and was also known as Devarāta, as one of his own sons. Viśvāmitra ordered his other sons to accept Śunaḥśepha as their eldest brother.

Viśvāmitra made Śunaḥśepha, the son of Ajīgarta, of the Bhṛgu dynasty, his son, and told his own sons to accept him as their eldest.

|| 9.16.31 ||

yo vai hariścandra-makhe

vikrītaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ

stutvā devān prajeśādīn

mumuce pāśa-bandhanāt

Śunaḥśepha was sold by his father to be sacrificed as a man-animal in the sacrifice of King Hariścandra. Śunaḥśepha prayed to the devatās headed by Brahmā, and was freed from being sacrificed.

Who was Śunaśepha? That is described in this verse. At the sacrifice performed by Hariścandra, Rohita, who was the son to be sacrificed, bought the middle son named Śuaśepha as the sacrificial animal, since the father Ajīgarta had more affection for his eldest and youngest sons. Śunaśepha praised the devatās and became free from the bondage as an animal.

|| 9.16.32 ||

yo rāto deva-yajane

devair gādhiṣu tāpasaḥ

deva-rāta iti khyātaḥ

śunaḥśephas tu bhārgavaḥ

Although Śunaḥśepha was born in the Bhārgava dynasty, because he was protected by the devatās during the sacrifice, he was also celebrated as the descendant of Gādhi and named Devarāta because of his austerities.

Though he was born in the Bhārgava dynasty, because he became the object of mercy of Viśvāmitra, he became known as Devarāta of Gādhi’s dynasty because of his austerities.

|| 9.16.33 ||

ye madhucchandaso jyeṣṭhāḥ

kuśalaṁ menire na tat