“Know thou, O foremost of Brahmanas, that I have come hither seeking for food.”  Thereupon Mudgala said unto the sage, “Thou art welcome!” And then offering to that maniac of an ascetic affected by hunger, water to wash his feet and mouth, that one observant of the vow of feeding guests, respectfully placed before him excellent fare.  Affected by hunger, the frantic Rishi completely exhausted the food that had been offered unto him.  Thereupon, Mudgala furnished him again with food.  Then having eaten up all that food, he besmeared his body with the unclean orts and went away as he had come.  In this manner, during the next season, he came again and ate up all the food supplied by that wise one leading the Unchha mode of life.  Thereupon, without partaking any food himself, the sage Mudgala again became engaged in collecting corn, following the Unchha mode.  Hunger could not disturb his equanimity.  Nor could anger, nor guile, nor a sense of degradation, nor agitation, enter into the heart of that best of Brahmanas leading the Unchha mode of life along with his son and his wife.  In this way, Durvasa having made up his mind, during successive seasons presented himself for six several times before that best of sages living according to the Unchha mode; yet that Muni could not perceive any agitation in Mudgala’s heart; and he found the pure heart of the pure-souled ascetic always pure.  Thereupon, well-pleased, the sage addressed Mudgala, saying, “There is not another guileless and charitable being like thee on earth.  The pangs of hunger drive away to a distance the sense of righteousness and deprive people of all patience.  The tongue, loving delicacies, attracteth men towards them.  Life is sustained by food.  The mind, moreover, is fickle, and it is hard to keep it in subjection.  The concentration of the mind and of the senses surely constitutes ascetic austerities.  It must be hard to renounce in a pure spirit a thing earned by pains.  Yet, O pious one, all this hath been duly achieved by thee.  In thy company we feel obliged and gratified.  Self-restraint, fortitude, justice, control of the senses and of faculties, mercy, and virtue, all these are established in thee.  Thou hast by the deeds conquered the different worlds and have thereby obtained admission into paths of beautitude.  Ah! even the dwellers of heaven are proclaiming thy mighty deeds of charity.  O thou observant of vows, thou shalt go to heaven even in thine own body.”

    [47] Naked.

“’Whilst the Muni Durvasa was speaking thus, a celestial messenger appeared before Mudgala, upon a car yoked with swans and cranes, hung with a neat work of bells, scented with divine fragrance, painted picturesquely, and possessed of the power of going everywhere at will.  And he addressed the Brahmana sage, saying, “O sage, do thou ascend into this chariot earned by thy acts.  Thou hast attained the fruit of thy asceticism!”