Meruvṛja is the city of the rākshasa king Virūpāksha. The Mahābhārata names it in the Śānti Parva, Āpaddharma Parva (Chapters 168–173), in the Kṛtagnopākhyāna, the account of the ungrateful man. The brāhmaṇa Gautama was a guest here, and it was in this account that he showed kṛtaghnatā (ingratitude) towards the one who had been kind to him.

Meruvṛja in the Kṛtagnopākhyāna

Gautama was a brāhmaṇa who wandered in poverty, and his character had grown weak. The crane king Nāḍījaṅgha sent him to Meruvṛja.

Virūpāksha welcomed Gautama as a guest. He gave him everything he needed and gave him the crane king as a companion. But Gautama’s character had already been weakened by a long time in a caṇḍāla village. In the end he killed Nāḍījaṅgha for food. This was the greatest act of kṛtaghnatā, because Nāḍījaṅgha had been his guide and host.

The teaching of the account is that there is no prāyaścitta (atonement) for such ingratitude. Nāḍījaṅgha came back to life only by the grace of Indra, at the crane’s own prayer.

In this account the dharma of hospitality was kept by a rākshasa, while ingratitude was done by a brāhmaṇa.

Sources

Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Āpaddharma Parva, Chapters 168–173 (Kṛtagnopākhyāna)