Karma and death.
Since the time we step into this world as an adult or as a responsible person, who contribute his time, energy and wealth in shaping this world, in whatever infinitesimal way, we start the wheel of karma rolling for ourselves and for all those attached to us. We struggle to survive and when we achieve this, we go further in improving our living conditions. We keep striving to do better until we die. Between this period of living and contributing to this world, we create millions of karmas. Our karmas could be broadly categorized as follows:
When we do things, such as excessive smoking, drinking and voracious eating, we only hurt ourselves. We fall sick and we may even die. When we are sick we feel miserable and so burdened. This karma therefore, directly affects our person.
When we gamble and with wrong lifestyle squander our wealth, we not only hurt ourselves, but our dependents too. With such bad karmas, even after our death our dependents will suffer for a very long time, until such time they become independent or be able to find an alternative source of income for survival. Such bad karmas are tenacious and stick to the loved ones and the dependents even after the death of the person.
When we are terrorists, traitors, bank robbers, large-scale aggressors, or polluters of the environment, or irresponsible citizens, we hurt the country and its people. Our actions affect the world and its people. Our karma, even though, we may be dead, leaves a mark on this world. We may have put so many people in misery and misfortune due to our own deeds. Our actions may have adversely effected the environment and what not.
Karma, when bad and injurious is detrimental to the health of the person, his people, and the world at large.
It is wrong to say that with the death of the person, his karma goes with him and the chapter closes. Far from this, after his death, he may open up a new chapter of malady, misery, misfortune and suffering for those who depended upon him or those he killed or maimed and the dependents of such victims. He may have left the bad effect of his karma to be borne by others in this world; if his deeds were injurious to the country. Even to wipe out such misdeeds, the country or the public may have to spend their time, money and effort to neutralize the effect of the bad karma. The vicious circle goes on-the bad karmas of others forever, eats into your peace and harmony, subtly, but surely.
Karma and destruction.
Destruction seems to be a word connected with gloom, dismay, and loss. Karma is a great player in destruction. Karma rules the destruction for good or for bad. All destructions are not to be associated with gloom and loss because some destruction allows constructing and renewing material objects and products in our favor. Karma of mankind first takes its command from the intentions in the mind, if the intentions are good the destruction is for a good cause, while, if the intentions are unhealthy, the destruction how much noble and progressive, may not be all healthy and it will show up in course of time. Destructions, as in demolitions of old houses for new constructions are healthy.
Destructions as in war, even though, each of the personnel involved in fighting the war, from the defense ministry down to the lowest rank soldiers claim to be doing their duty; saving the country from the enemy fire. Such people somewhere forget that the war and destruction is the doing of the people at the top level and has nothing to do with the common majority of the defense personnel. The war is generally based upon self-interest and not on any specific aggression. Killing and destruction then becomes bad karma and the countries going into war suffers. Loss of land, money, life, economy, power and sometimes independence too, becomes a reality. The aftermath gloom lingers for centuries and those who directly suffered the consequences may not be people, who were anyway connected with the war, or maybe they were much against any kind of violence and war, but since their countries were locked horn into it, they had to bear the brunt anyway. Such destructions, due to war, goes to show who was stronger of the two, but never, who was on the right path.
Destruction of old theories, obsolete and injurious, destructions of injurious medicines and practices, destructions of obsolete products are all good karma and when replaced with newer and better alternatives, may bring relief and respite to its people. However, newer not necessarily will be better, provided those are tried, tested and confirmed.
As said, karmas are always based upon intentions. So, destructions too should be based upon intentions of the destructor. When done for a good cause, the karma is good. When the cause is bad, the destruction is bad karma. This is simple and logical.