Sibi Jataka

Shibi Jataka is one of the Jataka tales detailing episodes of the various incarnations of Buddha. Each Jataka tale illustrates the Buddhist ideals of Dharma and sacrifice in various forms. Tradition states that these tales were narrated by Buddha himself during his ministry in India to emphasise that by the constant practice of virtuous deeds one reaches the status of Nirvana or enlightenment.

The Story of King Sibi

King Shibi ruled over the kingdom of Shibi and was known for his philanthropy. One day, Indra and Agni came to test the limits of the king's generosity. The two gods disguised themselves as a hawk and a dove. The hawk started chasing the dove and the dove fell on King Shibi's lap trembling with fear. The hawk demanded the king to surrender the dove as its prey. The king refused saying that the dove had sought his protection.

After much argument the hawk agreed to leave the dove alone if the king would offer a piece of flesh from his own body which was equivalent to the weight of the dove. The king was more than happy to make such a sacrifice. Strangely, after endless slicing off his flesh and placing it on the scale, the king found that he could not equal the weight of the dove. The king threw his entire body on the scale and even then the scales tipped in favor of the dove. At this point the hawk and the dove revealed their true identity and praised the king for his unbounded charitable spirit.

Sibi

Sibi (Balochi: بلوچ ) (Urdu: سِبی‎) is a city of Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is located at 29°33'0N 67°52'60E at an altitude of 130 metres (429 feet) and is headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name.

History

Besides the town of Sibi, the district contained the hill station of Ziarat, the summer residence of the government and The Victoria Memorial Hall, now known as Jirga Hall, which was built in 1903.

As of 1963, nine percent of Sibi's population were Hindu.

Climate

The maximum temperature recorded in the city is 53 °C (127 °F), and the minimum is −7.1 °C (19.2 °F). Precipitation is light and mainly falls in two distinct periods: in the early spring in March and April, and in the monsoon in July and August.

See also

Notes

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Sibi District

Sibi (Balochi: سبی) is a district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The main mountain ranges are Zen, Bambore and Dungan. The climatic and topography of Sibi District is quite varied compared to other districts of Balochistan. It is also known as the "Hot spot" of Pakistan where the temperatures in the summer exceed far above normal 52.6 °C (126.7 °F). The district has two sub-divisions, Sibi and Lehri, which are further organized into tehsils and sub-tehsils: Sibi, Lehri, Kutmandi and Sangan.

History

Until the end of the 15th century the district had been a dependency of Multan and had been part of Ghaznavid Empire ruled by petty chief named Nasiruddin Kubacha Around 1500 it was taken by Shah Beg of the Arghun Dynasty from Samma Dynasty of Sultan Of Sindh and so came under the control of Kandahar. However, during the period of Mughal rule the territory was once again ruled from Multan. In 1714 the territory was conquered by the Kalhoras Amirs of Sindh, but they were then displaced by the Durranis. During the short rule of the Durranis the local administrators were nominated from the Barozai Sub clan of the Panni Tribe. In the 19th century it fell under Marris and Bugtis hand. To finish rebellion in the area as raised by Marri & Bugti Tribes, the British signed the treaty with Khan of Kalat in late 19th century where under the Sibi, Shalkot and Chagai territory leased out to British India.

Shibi (king)

Shibi Chakravarti was a famous king in Hindu mythology and the Jataka tales of Buddhism, notably in the Shibi Jataka. Shibi Chakravarti was the son of Usinara, a famous king of the Lunar dynasty. He was renowned for his liberal beliefs and selflessness and is said to have saved Agni (transformed into a dove) from Indra (transformed into a hawk) by offering up his own flesh.

Shibi's lineage is traced from Vishnu.

Shibi Chakravarti is listed among other legendary kings in the lineage claimed by the later Chola dynasty. The Cholas claimed to have descended from the Sun. The Tamil name for Shibi is Cempiyan and Chola rulers took this as one of their titles.

There are also a number of temples in Tamil Nadu with legends claiming King Shibi to have worshipped in them. Shibi is considered the King of a country called Ushinara.

Story

King Shibi is the son of Ushinara, the Bhoja King of Kashi and Madhavi, the beautiful princess of Pratishthana and the daughter of King Yayati. Madhavi had three other mighty kings for her sons, Ashtaka, the son of Vishwamitra; Vasumanas, the son of the Ikshvaku Haryyashwa and Pratarddana, the son of Divodasa. He lived in the Satya Yuga. His father was Ushinara. His story is highlighted in the Mahabharata. He was most famous for willingly offering flesh to an eagle, who wanted to slay an innocent bird. The birds revealed themselves to be the gods, Indra and Agni and restore Shibi to his original form. He once encountered the spirit of Yayati and helped restore the king to heavens.