What does the story of the tiger suggest about its past life and karma?

Chapter 31 offers a speculative explanation for the tiger's unique death, linking it to past karma. The text suggests that the creature may have once been a meritorious person who, driven by intellectual pride, insulted a devotee of Hari. This transgression led to a curse that resulted in a 'cruel birth' as a tiger. However, a counter-curse appears to have guided the tiger to Sai Baba's feet. This sacred viewing, or darshan, allowed the tiger's sins to be burned away, breaking the bonds of past karma and attachment, and ultimately leading to its salvation from the suffering of its animal form.