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ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES
type, each of which tends to produce a state of mental disquietude highly inimical to the progress of the soul. The result is that those who disregard the true teaching of religion and take to the path of kimsa are not only the enemies of their own souls, but also of those of their helpless victims.
It would be interesting to work out the further and future conse •quences of himsa on the souls of the slayer and the victim both. Bearing in mind the fact that the future re-birth is always determined by the nature of the tendencies evolved out by the soul, it can be safely laid down that the being whose habitual mental attitude is characterised by heartlessness, selfishness and thoughtlessness must necessarily be drawn to a type of life marked by these mental traits. When we look out for the appropriate type for those who are habitually cruel, unfeeling and thoughtless, we discover it to be amongst the unthinking beasts of prey-tigers, wolves, hawks, cats, and the like-so that the future re-birth of him who has spent his life in developing these peculiarities of disposition must necessarily be in the tribe of some wild bird or beast, the actual type depending on the degree of cruelty evolved out in each individual case. In some cases where the soul is thoroughly steeped in himsa it directly descends into hells, as the scriptures show. The case with the victim of sporting lust, however, stands on a different footing, since the feelings of anger, horror, pain and the like are not habitual with it. Hence, its future re-birth would not necessarily be amongst the worst types of living beings, though the predominant feelings of the closing moments of life might impart their tinge to the character already formed, and bear fruit in the shape of nicha gotra (low status) and inauspicious surroundings.
As a result of the foregoing observations, it will be noticed that the soul is affected only by its own thoughts and feelings. Hence where the mind is not tinged with cruel inclinations there can be no harmful evil consequences accruing from an act that might even end in the causing of death. The case of the surgeon who undertakes to perform a dangerous operation as the last hope of saving life is an instance in point. It is even conceivable that lasting merit may be earned by him under such circumstances notwithstanding the occur rence of death, if he is moved by real sympathy and tenderness, as dis
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