Karma

Author(s): Annie Besant
Publisher: Theosophical Publishing House

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fallen into the life-span through which he is passing; it appears—I can only speak hereon speculatively, not having definite knowledge on this point-as though sudden death could not strike off a man's body unless he owed such a death to the Law, no matter into what whirl of catastrophic disaster he may be hurled; he would be what is called “miraculously preserved ” amid the death and ruin that swept away his neighbours, and emerge unharmed from tempest or fiery outbreak. But if he owed a life, and were drawn by his national or family karma within the area of such a disturbance, then, although such sudden death had not been woven into his etheric double for that special life, no active interference might be made for his preservation; special care would be taken of him afterwards that he might not suffer unduly from his sudden snatching out of earth-life, but he would be allowed to pay his debt on the arising of such an opportunity, brought within his reach by the wider sweep of the Law, by the collective karma that involves him.
Similarly, benefits may accrue to him by this indirect action of the Law, as when he belongs to a nation that is enjoying the fruit of some good national karma; and he may thus receive some debt owed to him by Nature, the payment of which would not have fallen within