09 Feb 2005
Children are not as innocent as you think. The child of a demon has the devilish characteristics in seed form. The soul in a child has just entered the earth after a long punishment in hell. The strength of the sinful attitude (samskara) was very much reduced but did not vanish completely. A thief when released from the police station after a long torture and beating has the attitude of stealing in a very much reduced state [as a seed]. But the attitude does not disappear. When he comes out and enters a suitable encouraging atmosphere, this seed grows into a tree and he is caught by the police again for his theft. Similarly when the child grows, again the grown up person does the same sin and in the end, goes to hell. This is the cycle of deeds (Karma Chakra). When a child is taken away by God, it is something like arresting the thief immediately after his release. This prevents the thief from stealing again. He must be considered lucky. The child may get a better birth. You have sympathy for the dying child since you are not aware of the soul in the body of the child. The body is like a shirt and death is only the destruction of the shirt. The Gita emphasizes this aspect in the beginning itself. The plans of the Lord are not known to us. He may give a better shirt in a better place and protect the soul. We see only a brief part of the film and make hasty conclusions. Only complete and thorough spiritual knowledge can remove all the doubts.