Who was Shibi Rana?

Here are the answers to the comprehension questions based on the story of King Shibi.

A. Answer the following questions:

1. Who was Shibi Rana? King Shibi was a legendary king renowned for his righteousness and unwavering commitment to protecting those who sought his refuge.

2. How did the gods think of to test his greatness? Why did the gods think so? The gods, Indra and Agni, decided to test King Shibi's virtue and commitment to dharma. They wanted to verify if his reputation for protecting the helpless was truly deserved.

3. Who came flying in as the king sat on his throne one day? A dove, pursued by an eagle, came flying in and sought refuge in the king's lap.

4. What did the king do? The king immediately offered protection to the dove, assuring it of safety.

5. Why did the king refuse to surrender the dove? The king refused because it was his righteous duty (dharma) to protect anyone who sought his refuge.

6. What did the king offer to the eagle instead? The king offered to give the eagle an equal weight of flesh from his own body as compensation for its lost meal.

7. What did the eagle then demand? The eagle demanded flesh from the king's right thigh, equal in weight to the dove.

8. What was the whole court horrified to see? The court was horrified to see the king cutting flesh from his own body to fulfill his promise.

9. What did the eagle say when a single tear fell from the king? The eagle questioned if the king was regretting his promise or feeling pain from his sacrifice.

10. What did the king say to the eagle? The king explained that the tear was not of pain or regret, but of joy for fulfilling his dharma and sorrow that his body was not sufficient.

11. What was the miracle that happened then? The eagle and dove revealed their true forms as the gods Indra and Agni, and the king's body was miraculously restored.

12. What did Indra say to the king? Indra praised King Shibi for his unparalleled righteousness and selflessness, declaring that his fame would last forever.

B. Fill in the blanks with one of the two words given in brackets.
Since the bracketed words are unreadable in the image, the answers are based on the most logical fit from the story of King Shibi.

1. They thought of a plan to test the greatness of the king.
2. Surrender my prey.
3. Is such your dharma?
4. "My own flesh I offer," said Shibi resolutely.