KARMA

In a residential society in Delhi, cases of theft had been on the rise, leaving residents anxious and frustrated. The society members gathered to voice their concerns and filed a complaint with the police. In response, the police began night patrols, which seemed to be effective for a while. Relieved, the residents noticed a significant drop in thefts due to the increased patrolling.

One of the families in the society was the Das family—Snehal Das, his wife, and their two children. Snehal was known for his kindness and generosity; he was always willing to lend a helping hand, whether it was assisting neighbors with errands or sharing groceries with those in need. Despite his lower income, he never hesitated to help others, believing that kindness was a way to bring people together.

One day, the Das family had to leave town for a family function. They locked up their small home and went on their way, never imagining what awaited them upon their return. After a few days, they came back, only to find that some of their belongings were missing. Being a family of modest means, they didn't own much gold or cash, but the thief had taken their television, mixer, and a few other essential household items. Snehal and his wife were heartbroken, as they had bought those items with their hard-earned money, saving over time to afford each one.

Overwhelmed, Snehal and his wife sat outside their home, struggling to hold back tears. Their neighbors, noticing their distress, came forward one by one to offer help. One of them said, "We were planning to upgrade our TV anyway, so please take ours; we’ll buy a new one." At first, Snehal tried to refuse the help, embarrassed to accept so much from others. But the neighbors insisted, reminding him of all the times he had helped them. Slowly, Snehal accepted their generosity, grateful for the warmth and kindness his neighbors showed him in return for his own goodness.

In the same society, there lived a man named Deepak, a financial consultant by profession. Observing the recent theft at Snehal's house and the support that the neighbors had extended, Deepak hatched a cunning plan. When his wife and son left the house for a day, Deepak secretly gathered all their gold and cash, packed it in a bag, and buried it in the backyard. He locked up the house, pretending everything was normal, and left to stay at a friend’s place overnight.

The next day, just as his wife and son returned home, Deepak also came back. Without missing a beat, he went straight to the locker, then loudly proclaimed that all their gold and money were gone. Hearing this, his wife and son, who had no idea about his scheme, began to panic and cry. The police arrived and took down the details, assuring Deepak that they would do their best to catch the thieves. However, unlike with Snehal, none of the neighbors showed any sympathy or concern.

Deepak’s reputation was well-known in the society. As a moneylender, he charged exorbitant interest rates and harassed his clients until they repaid every last rupee. He often mocked those in need, showing little compassion for anyone. Word traveled quickly around the society, and people were well aware of Deepak’s behavior. He spent the whole day putting on a dramatic show, hoping someone might come forward to console him or offer help. Yet, not a single neighbor even stopped by to check on him.

Frustrated and fed up, Deepak decided to retrieve his hidden stash that night, confident his plan had gone unnoticed. But as he dug into the backyard, he was shocked to find that his bag of gold and money was gone—stolen by actual thieves. Karma had hit him hard, and now he couldn’t even reveal the truth to his own family.

In the end, a lesson in these events are Snehal, a good-hearted person, had received kindness in return, while Deepak, driven by selfishness, had faced the consequences of his own deceit.