Can you explain the backstory of the tiger that died at Sai Baba's feet? Was it just a random animal?

The text in Chapter 31 suggests the tiger was not just a random animal but had a significant past life. It speculates that the tiger was once a meritorious person who, out of "learning-pride," insulted a devotee of Hari. As a result of this devotee's curse, the person was reborn into a cruel body. However, a counter-curse seems to have been in effect, which led the tiger to Sai Baba's feet. This encounter with Sai, or darshan, allowed the tiger's sins to be burned away and its karmic bonds to be broken. As Chapter 31 explains, this divine arrangement allowed the soul to be freed from the "cruel body's bondage" and attain salvation, which wouldn't have been possible without great fortune.