| Sunahsepa / Devarata Vaiśvāmitra | |
|---|---|
| In-universe information | |
| Family | Vishvamitra |
| Children | Yagnavalkya |
Shunahshepa (Sanskrit: शुनःशेप, romanized: Śunaḥśepa) is a legendary sage mentioned in Hindu mythology. A number of passages in Rigveda are attributed to him. He was adopted by the sage Vishvamitra, and given the new name Devarata. His name is also transliterated as Cunahcepa, Cunahçepa, Sunahsephas, Sunahshepa, and Shunashepa. He was first mentioned in Mandala 1, Hymn 24 of the Rigveda as a devotee of the god Varuna.
According to a legend, Shunahshepa was chosen to be sacrificed in a ritual, but was saved after praying to the Rigvedic deities. The earliest extant text to mention this legend is Aitareya Brahmana (7.13-18) of Rigveda. The story is repeated in the Balakanda (1.61) of Valmiki's Ramayana with some variations. Several other texts borrow the story: these include Sankhyana Srauta Sutra, Baudhayana Shrauta Sutra, the Puranas, and the works of Chandrakirti among others.