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of karmic matter complete their cycle, like a boomerang, they return to us and land, so to speak, on our laps. That is called illness, suffering the effect of that which we caused another to suffer. In the process, if we become aware of this law, we come to be more gentle with others and with ourselves; we begin to remove indifference and callousness from our hearts. The karmas are not only consumed, but also, the person has taken a step forward into evolution, into understanding.
For Rup, this was the first time he came face to face with his own past vibrations. But he was both unaware of their root cause and without a clue as to how to dispel them. All he could do was endure the pain, or pass into a semi-conscious state. No one knew if he would live or die. There was only one hope, that the power of his own soul, the energy of his life, would emerge and assert itself, melting the heavy molecules away and bringing him back to a state of clarity and health.
A Spiritual Trial
During his weeklong spell of unconsciousness, Rup dreamed terrifying dreams and saw symbolic visions. Temptation and repulsion waged war before his inner eye.
At first he saw himself as a successful businessman with coffers full of gold and silver. He gazed spellbound upon jewelry of exquisite craftsmanship. From each ornament, he turned away in disgust. Gold bars, dazzling in luster, were before him. He kicked them away contemptuously, watching them turn into bright yellow snakes that slithered away from him.
Hunger and thirst took possession of him. His stomach was so empty that he imagined himself gobbling up a whole basketful of idli-dhosa pancakes. His mouth was so parched that he envisioned a huge tureen of soup, but it was a mirage. A luscious fruit appeared from nowhere. He plucked it and
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