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The Upliftment of Sodas
143
“Yes”.
“If we get peace and felicity by killing other jivas can it not be deemed dharma ?”
"Dear child! A jiva can never attain real peace and felicity by causing violence to other jivas. Even if one gets some peace and felicity by that method they will be transient and illusory. But it is almost impossible to attain liberation from the karmas earned by committing such violence. Moreover, on account of those sinful karmas the jiva has to experience hellish torture and grief”.
The effects of sinful karmas are to be experienced in the next janma. In this janma we experience peace and felicity; do we not?
"Never forget the great truth that the jiva has to experience the first fruits of sinful karmas in this life and even in the next life he has to experience the bitter fruits of sinful karmas. The jiva that commits violence has to experience in this life various kinds of agonies and physical, mental and inherited ailments. If you scrutinize your soul you will realize that the jiva who causes pain, sorrow and agitation to others can never attain happiness. Can a jiva who causes agitation and anguish to others, ever attain peace and felicity ? Those who try to attain happiness by means of violence will have to be prepared to experience inordinate hellish tortures and unbearable anguish."
Sodas assimilated the meaning of every word uttered by the great muni. Suddenly his past life appeared before him like a vision. From the time he began eating meat, boundless agitation and anguish had entered his life which was once peaceful and happy. Of course, he experienced some pleasure in eating meat, but that was momentary whereas on account of the effect of those sinful actions he had to experience countless agonies. The people of Ayodhya began to despise him. He lost his throne and kingship. He had to run away from home. He had to become homeless and wander away from his country. He had to wander through dense and wild forests. Even common people beat him sometimes. He became separated from his family and
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