God Varuna went away, and the king was plunged in gloom. Harischandra realised that the god was determined to claim Rohit.
"Father! Why do you look so remorseful?" Prince Rohit asked him one day.
The king told him all that was going on between himself and Varuna.
Rohit discussed the problem with the sons of the ministers who were his friends. They advised him to stay away from the palace.
Rohit escaped to the forest. The king tried to locate him, but failed.
When Varuna made his next visit, the king said with folded hands, "My son, for the fear of his life, has gone into hiding. I haven't been able to trace him. What should I do?"
"You're trying to deceive me!" blurted our Varuna. He cursed the king. As a result, he took ill.
The news of the king's illness reached Rohit in the forest. He decided to return to the palace.
But Indra stopped him on his way. "Is there any sense in your going home? You can't cure your father of his illness. Varuna will soon be there again, and you'll be sacrificed. That will only aggravate your father's illness. Better continue to be in hiding. Return to the palace only after your father's death and then occupy the throne," advised Indra.
Accordingly Prince Rohit went back to the forest.
The ailing king asked Vasishtha for a way out of the predicament. The sage said, "Varuna wants that you must sacrifice your son. Well, an adopted son is as good as one's real son. Adopt a son and sacrifice him. That should be appeasement enough for Varuna."
The king summoned his senior minister and asked him to look for a boy who should be fit for the Yajna.The minister went from place to place and came upon a Brahmin who had three sons, all fit for the Yajna.
The minister requested the Brahmin to spare one of his sons for the purpose. "You can take any, except the eldest one," said the Brahmin.
"You can take any, but not the youngest one," said the Brahmin's wife.
Naturally, only the second son, Sunahsefa, was left. The king adopted him. Preparations for the Yajna began.
Sunahsefa shed tears thinking of his fate. That saddened all who were present. King Harischandra was no exception.
Suddenly Sage Viswamitra appeared on the scene.
