What is Karma?
Karma (from the Sanskrit root kṛ — “to do, to act”) is one of the most fundamental and widely misunderstood concepts in Hindu philosophy. In its simplest definition: every action has a consequence. But karma is far more nuanced than a cosmic punishment system.
Karma is the principle of moral causation — the idea that our actions, words, and even thoughts have consequences that extend beyond the immediate moment and shape our future experiences, both in this life and in lives to come.
The Three Types of Karma
Hindu philosophy identifies three types of karma:
1. Sanchita Karma (Accumulated Karma)
The total storehouse of karma accumulated across all past lives. This is the sum total of all actions (and their impressions) that have not yet borne fruit. Sanchita karma is like seeds stored in a granary.
2. Prarabdha Karma (Destiny Karma)
The portion of sanchita karma that has been “activated” to govern the present life — the karma currently being experienced. Prarabdha karma determines the circumstances of our birth: family, body, innate tendencies. It cannot be changed; it must be lived through.
3. Agami/Kriyamana Karma (Current Karma)
The karma being created in the present moment through our current choices and actions. This is the only karma fully within our control.
How Karma Actually Works
Karma is not about punishment or reward meted out by an external judge. It is the natural, impersonal law of cause and effect operating in the moral dimension of reality — just as gravity operates in the physical dimension.
“As you sow, so shall you reap” — this is not a threat but a description of how reality operates.
Every action leaves an impression (samskara) on the subtle mind. These impressions create tendencies (vasanas), which shape future desires and actions. This is the karmic cycle.
Free Will and Karma
A common misconception: if karma determines my life, do I have free will? The answer: yes, always.
Prarabdha karma shapes the circumstances; agami karma is what we do with them. A person born into poverty (prarabdha) may choose generosity or bitterness — that choice creates new karma. We are not slaves to our past; we are always the authors of our present moment’s response.
Liberation from Karma
The ultimate goal of Hindu spiritual practice is moksha — liberation from the karmic cycle of samsara (rebirth). This is achieved not by generating “good karma” (which still binds), but by transcending karma altogether through:
- Jnana (knowledge): recognizing that the true Self (Atman) is beyond action and its fruits
- Bhakti (devotion): surrendering all actions to the Divine (as taught in BG 18:66)
- Karma Yoga (selfless action): acting without attachment to outcomes (as taught in BG 2:47)
The goal is not to accumulate good karma but to become free from the karmic mechanism entirely.