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Karma Philosophy
301
secret unseen driving force that brings these causes together and impels them to operate at proper time. In order to find out this original, fundamental cause, we shall have to go far beyond the circumstances of the present life or birth.
In this world, we find that the persons who indulge in immoral and cruel activities roll in riches and enjoy all the luxuries of life, whereas those who follow the path of morality and righteousness remain poor and miserable. What is the cause of this anomaly? Where is the rule of the law 'as is the act so is the fruit? If we think of the connection of the present birth with the past births, we can find the solution to this problem. According to the impressions of the activities performed in the past births, the course of the present life is determined and the special circumstances are generated. Similarly, in accordance with the present life or birth, the future life or birth is going to be moulded. In other words, the effects or influences of the impressions of the activities performed in the previous birth manifest themselves in the present birth, and the effects or influences of the impressions of the activities performed in the present birth will manifest themselves in the future birth. Does it not so happen that some rascals, dacoits and murderers, even after committing heinous crimes, are not caught and consequently escape the punishment, and that the innocents are caught and punished? What a sort of justice! 'Where is the rule of the law 'as is the act so is its fruit'? But this intricate problem is solved by the doctrine of rebirth and pre-birth. Different and queer activities performed in the previous birth present their varied and queer fruits in the present birth.
But from this we are not to understand that those who accumulate wealth by immoral, unjust and cruel acts and enjoy prosperity and pleasures on the strength of the wealth accumulated thus have any right, from the moral and religious standpoint, to such enjoyments. Such persons have accumulated wealth by directly or indirectly cheating, by fraudulently or forcibly looting, or by exploiting the poor and the labour. No good government or enlightened and vigilant society can tolerate such a situation for long. If such a situation is tolerated and allowed to con tinue, the fault lies with the government first and with the lazy and slumbering society next. It is the responsibility of the government and the society to see that the wealth is properly and justly produced and distributed. No religion should approve and thereby nourish such disparity, disorder and anarchy. Nor should it award the reputation and prestige
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