The darveshis were both sad and happy when their tiger died. Why the mixed feelings? How does this story reframe the concept of death?

The darveshis' mixed reaction is a central point of the story in Chapter 31. On one hand, they were sad-faced because the tiger was their 'means of livelihood' and their 'family's sustenance.' Its death meant a practical loss for them. On the other hand, they were pleased at heart because they understood the spiritual significance of what had occurred. They knew that for the diseased creature to die at the feet of a great saint meant it had attained liberation from its suffering. This event reframes death from a sorrowful end to a 'supreme joy,' as the text states. It becomes the ultimate atonement for sins, ensuring no rebirth and demonstrating that the soul has conquered the mortal world.