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FRAGMENTS OF A PRISONER'S DIARY
ing for the ill-doings of our King”. Thereupon, the other, representi:ig the true spirit of Indian culture, replies : “That is not true ; our suffering is the fruit of our own actions in the past life." The doctrine of karma, the belief in the transmigration of soul, here stands revealed in its real significance. These doctrines of “spiritualist” philosophy were expounded by the Rishis of the old with the object of making the masses feel themselves responsible for their misery, and thus la reconciled to it. The attitude of the second man exonerates the oppressors from all responsibility, and thc cstablished social order is guaranteed against the danger of a threatening popular revolt.
This attitude still dominates the incntality of the Indian masses. Those inclined to assume an ostentatious air of religiosity devoutly demonstrate resignation to the will of God. The former are sincere in ther superstition ; they live blissfully in unadulterated ignorance. The latter, on the contrary, are usually consummate hypocritcs. My experience with prisoners has been that the more ostentatiously religious a man, the greater a rogue he is. And in view of the fact that a Central Prison is a fairly representative replica of the cntire country, I maintain that my experience provides a reliable ground for generalisation.
I picked up a stray kitten and brought it up. The way in which she was differently treated by different prisoners was a matter of interesting 184
