When a man is born, he does not have round his neck any necklace of pearls or gems or any possessions. But he is endowed by Brahma with the garland of the effects of his past actions, good or bad, which hangs invisibly around his neck. If you do good, you will enjoy good results and if you are bad, you will not escape suffering the consequences thereof.
(Sanathana Sarathi, October 1994, pg 266)