Why were the darveshis both sad and pleased when their tiger died?

The darveshis had conflicting emotions, as explained in Chapter 31. They were sad-faced because the tiger was their primary means of livelihood and supported their families; its death represented a significant financial loss (verse 158). However, they also looked pleased because they understood the spiritual significance of the event. They recognized that the diseased, suffering creature had attained liberation by dying at the feet of a great saint (verse 142). This belief that the tiger achieved salvation and was saved from its sins brought them a sense of peace and pleasure that overshadowed their material concerns.