Majority of Hindus live in india, a third world country with abysmal living conditions, can it be inferred that majority of Hindus are born in india due to their bad deeds(karma ) in past lives?
Also are people living in first world countries , born there due to their good karmas in past lives?
Glory of Bhāratavarṣa, the land bound by the Himalayas in North, Udayācala (consisting of Patkai hills, Chin hills, Mishmi hills, Lushai hills & Arakan Yoma hills) & Bay of Bengal in the east, Indian Ocean in the south, Astācala (consisting of Hindu Raj hills, Sulaiman hills, Kirthar hills & Central Makran range) & Arabian Sea in the west, extending from the shrine of Śāradā (in Kashmir) in the north to the shrine of Kanyākumarī (in Tamil Nadu) in the South & from the shrine of Hiṅgulā (in Balochistan) in the west to the shrines of Bhavanī & Candranātha (in Chattagram) as stated here
वदन्ति मुनयो वेदवादिनः स्वर्गवासिनः ॥ अहो अमीषां किमकारि शोभनं प्रसन्न एषां स्विदुत स्वयं हरिः । यैर्जन्म लब्धं नृषु भारताजिरे मुकुन्दसेवौपयिकं स्पृहा हि नः ॥ किं दुष्करैर्नः क्रतुभिस्तपोव्रतैर्दानादिभिर्वा द्युजयेन फल्गुना । न यत्र नारायणपदपङ्कजस्मृतिः प्रमुष्टातिशयेन्द्रियोत्सवात् ॥ कल्पायुषां स्थानजयात्पुनर्भवात्क्षणायुषां भारतभूजयो वरम् । क्षणेन मर्त्येन कृतं मनस्विनः संन्यस्य संयान्त्यभयं पदं हरेः ॥ न यत्र वैकुण्ठकथासुधापगा न साधवो भागवतास्तदाश्रयाः । न यत्र यज्ञेशमखा महोत्सवाः सुरेशलोकोऽपि न वै स सेव्यताम् ॥ प्राप्ता नृजातिं त्विह ये च जन्तवो ज्ञानक्रियाद्रव्यकलापसम्भृताम् । न वै यतेरन्न पुनर्भवाय ते भूयो वनौका इव यान्ति बन्धनम् ॥
Translation: The sages well-versed in the Veda & the residents of heaven thus say, " Oh ! What amount of good works have these people (born in Bhāratavarṣa) have done in their past lives, by which Hari Himself has become pleased with them (to shower His grace upon them) without performing any austeritires. We too desire to be born in this (holy) land of Bhāratavarṣa amongst these people with the desire to be able to serve Mukunda. Of what avail is of the performance of severe austerities, yajñas, vows, charitable acts & residence in heaven if they increase our desire for sensual pleasures & not the remembrance towards the lotus-feet of Nārāyaṇa ? It is better to be born as a short-lived person in this (holy) land of Bhāratavarṣa than to be born elsewhere with a lifespan of a kalpa. Those who in their short lifespan fearlessly devote to serving the feet of Hari are truly intellectuals. The land devoid of the nectarine glories of Vaikuṇṭha, presence of the saints & the devout, ceremonies & festivals devoted to Yajñeśvara shouldn't be resorted even if it were to be (as luxurious as) the residence of Indra. Inspite of being born as humans & endowed with the knowledge, potential & materials, those who don't takes steps to prevent being reborn are indeed (as dumb as) wild animals & get repeatedly entangled into various bondages. [Devībhāgavata Purāṇa:8:11:21.02-26]
If you ask that if the Hindu śāstras state Bhāratavarṣa is indeed THE HOLY LAND & devout Hindus living here are THE CHOSEN PEOPLE, then why they are suffering from poverty & dominated by non-believers, then the answer is -
नैकत्रवासो लक्ष्म्यास्तु भविष्यति कदाचन । क्षुद्रा सा चलचित्ता च मूर्खेषु च वसिष्यति ।। म्लेच्छेषु पार्वतीयेषु कुत्सिते कुत्सिते तथा। मूर्खेषु चावलिप्तेषु अभिशप्ते दुरात्मनि ।।
Translation: (Sāvitrī curses Lakṣmī for approving Brahmā's marriage with Gāyatrī) O Lakṣmī of wicked soul ! By my curse, you will never reside in one place, you will be mean, fickle-minded & will reside with the fools (i.e materialistic people who don't strive for liberation), the non-believers, the barbarians, those with an ugly disposition and the accursed ones. [Padma Purāṇa:1:17:169-170]
Such a curse detrimental for the believers is expected to be more prominent in this Kaliyuga.
If you are still tempted, then these verses are suggested
गङ्गातीरं परित्यज्य योऽन्यत्र वसते नरः । करस्थां सन्त्यजन्मुक्तिं सोऽन्वेषी नरकस्य तु ।। धन्य स देशो यत्रास्ति गङ्गा त्रैलोक्यपावनी । गङ्गाहीनस्तु यो देशो न प्रदेशं स गण्यते ।। गङ्गातीरे वरं भिक्षा वरं प्राणवियोजनं । नान्यत्रं पृथिवीपालत्वं नरः प्रार्थयेत् क्वचित् ।।
Translation: The man who abandoning the banks of the Gaṅgā, lives in any other place, is searching for hell after discarding liberation situated within his fists. Blessed is the country (of Bhāratavarṣa) where Gaṅgā, the sanctifior of the 3 worlds exist ! The country devoid of Gaṅga shouldn't be considered as a country (fit for residence of Hindus) at all. It is better to beg or even die living by the banks of the Gaṅgā, but (devout) men shouldn't even seek for sovereignty over other lands. [Mahābhāgavata Upapurāṇa:74:29-31]
The country that lies north of the ocean, and south of the snowy mountains, is called Bhárata, for there dwelt the descendants of Bharata. It is nine thousand leagues in extent, and is the land of works, in consequence of which men go to heaven, or obtain emancipation.
The seven main chains of mountains in Bhárata are Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Śuktimat, Riksha, Vindhya, and Páripátra.From this region heaven is obtained, or even, in some cases, liberation from existence; or men pass from hence into the condition of brutes, or fall into hell.
Heaven, emancipation, a state in mid-air, or in the subterraneous realms, succeeds to existence here, and the world of acts is not the title of any other portion of the universe.
No, one can't make such an argument.
The deep reason is that God does not interfere in running the universe according to Hindu Dharma.
At the end of a cosmic cycle, O son of Kunti! All beings resolve into Nature (Prakrti), which is My own, and at the beginning of a new one (after the period of dissolution or Pralaya is over), I bring them out again.
Gita 9.7
Resorting to Prakrti, Nature, which is My own Power, I send forth again and again this multitude of beings that are without any freedom, owing to Nature’s sway over them.
Gita 9.8
These activities do not in any way bind Me, because I remain detached like one unconcerned in their midst.
Gita 9.9
Under My direction and control, Nature brings out this mighty universe of living and non-living beings. Thus does the wheel of this world revolve.
Gita 9.10
Think of the 2020-2022 Covid-19 pandemic. Did God help a single human being? Did God save the millions who died? Did God distinguish between developed country humans and third world country residents? Humans had to develop vaccines to stop the bad effects of the pandemic.
The present day third world status of India is not a permanent one. India accounted for more than 30 % of the world wealth between 1 ce to 1700 ce. India's share of world wealth was 24 % as late as 1800 ce. It dropped to 5 % by 1947 due to British colonialism. It dropped further between 1947-1991 period due to an ill advised socialistic economic policy. Restoration of capitalism in 1991 has steadily improved Indian economic situation and India has a chance of becoming the second largest economy by 2075. The point I am trying to make is that the economic situation of Hindus has fluctuated due to secular reasons and it is pointless to bring in the metaphysical theory of Karma. One uses a metaphysical theory when one can't explain the situation using any secular reason.
Bear with inevitable suffering in this world
Contact of the senses with their objects generates cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go, being impermanent. Bear with them patiently, O scion of the Bharata race!
Gita 2.14
O leader of men! That enlightened one who is unperturbed alike in pleasure and pain, whom these do not distress – he indeed is worthy of immortality.
Gita 2.15
Europe was dirt poor before the industrial revolution and the resultant European colonial empires. Can Europe's change of economic condition be explained due to her Karma? No it will be ridiculous to do so. The industrial and scientific revolutions are adequate enough to explain the change in the condition of Europe.
Those who live on Earth will have to help themselves. God will not help them. God only helps great devotees. Hindus will have to work hard to change their economic condition. There is no point in bringing in a metaphysical theory of Karma.
