Name of Sacrifice
Shibi was a great king. He was very generous to every one. One day a hawk was chasing a dove to kill and eat it. The frightened dove and its flight fell at the feet of Shibi. The king understood the situation. He took it up in his hands and gently caressed it. Shortly after, the hawk arrived. It said to the king, 'O King, I am very hungry. I was trying to hunt this dove. Please leave it to me.' The King replied, 'No, O hawk! The dove came to me for protection.
You ask me for anything else and I shall give it to you.' The hawk said, 'I want this dove only. If you don't give it to me, I shall go back hungry and die. The sin will be upon you.' The king was in a dilemma. He said, 'O Hawk, I don't want either of you to die. Please ask for something else.' The hawk said, 'All right, then cut out your own flesh equal in weight to the weight of the dove. I shall be satisfied with it.' The king immediately called for a pair of scales. He cut off a part of his flesh and placed it on one pan of the scales. He placed the dove on the other pan. But the dove's pan went down.
The king cut some more flesh and put it in the first pan. Still it was not sufficient. He went on cutting more and more of his flesh. But to no purpose. The dove was always heavier. At last he himself sat on the pan. He offered his whole body to the hawk. A miracle happened at the time. Both hawk and dove disappeared and in their place stood the gods Indra and Agni. They said, 'Oh king! You are really great. Your kindness has no match. For the sake of a small creature you were ready to give up your valuable life itself.' We bless you that you live long and be an ideal King.' So saying, they disappeared. The wounds on Shibi's body also disappeared. He glowed with health. Shibi's name became immortal. Today when a person makes a great sacrifice for the sake of another, we say he is a Shibi.
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