Indra and Agni Test King Ushinara

King Ushinara performed a sacrifice so powerful that it surpassed Indra's own. The king of the gods noticed. So did Agni. They came down to find out whether this mortal king was truly the equal of the gods — and to grant him a boon if he proved worthy. Indra took the form of a hawk. Agni took the form of a dove. The dove flew straight into Ushinara's sacrificial ground, terrified, pursued by the hawk. It alighted on the king's thigh, seeking refuge there. Oppressed by fear, it nestled against him. The hawk followed. It demanded its prey. Ushinara looked down at the trembling bird on his thigh. Then he looked at the hawk. He understood, perhaps, that this was no ordinary hunt — that the gods were testing something fundamental about him. What he did next would determine whether he received the boon they carried. The dove stayed where it was, pressed against the king's flesh, trusting the refuge it had chosen.