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164
Mahapuraana, Uttara Puraana
Not meat, etc., is to be given, nor is one who desires it a worthy recipient. The giver and the receiver are both to be known as rulers of hell. || 275 || Therefore, the greedy one is not a worthy recipient, nor is this pigeon to be given. Thus, hearing the words of Maegha-rathi, the celestial astrologer said, || 276 || "You are a knower of the division of charity, and a hero of charity, O king." Thus praising him, showing his own form, and worshipping him, he departed. || 277 || Knowing the words spoken by the two twice-born, the two birds, having abandoned their bodies, became two celestial beings named Deva-raman in the forest, named Surupa and Prati-rupa. || 278 || Then, by the grace of Maegha-rathi, the two celestial beings, born from a low womb, came to the king, saying, "O king, we have come from the forest." Worshipping him, they departed. || 279 || Once, the king, having given charity to the lord of the tamed, a wise man, obtained the five wonders of the charana. || 280 || Having performed a great worship of Nandi-ishvara, he was sustained. At night, meditating on the image-yoga, he stood like the king of mountains. || 281 || Knowing this, Ishana-indra said with joy, "O Marut-tasi, you are pure Samyag-drishti, and you are the essence of courage. Today, this is a wonder." || 282 || Hearing this praise of himself, the gods asked, "Whose praise have you spoken?" In reply, Indra said to the gods, "Maegha-rathi, the foremost among kings, is very courageous, pure Samyag-drishti, and today he is engaged in image-yoga. I have praised him out of devotion." || 283-284 || Hearing this, the two goddesses, Ati-rupa and Surupa, who were very skilled in testing, came to the king. With their allurements, illusions, gestures, songs, conversations, and other causes of lustful madness, they tried to shake his mental strength. But just as a creeper of lightning cannot shake Mount Sumeru, so too, those goddesses could not shake the mental strength of King Maegha-rathi. Finally, they praised him, saying, "What Ishana-indra has said is true," and departed to heaven. || 285-287 ||