Karma — Cause, Effect, and Responsibility
A simple introduction to karma — what it is, what it isn't, and how it shapes daily choice.
Karma simply means action. The doctrine of karma says that every action carries a consequence — sooner or later, in this life or another. It is neither punishment nor reward. It is the law by which the universe stays coherent.
Three layers of karma
- Sanchita — the storehouse of all past actions across lives.
- Prarabdha — the portion of that store that has ripened in this lifetime; what we cannot avoid.
- Agami / Kriyamana — the new karma we are creating right now, with this thought, this word, this deed.
We cannot change sanchita, and we must walk through prarabdha. But agami is wholly in our hands — and that is where freedom lives.
What karma is not
- It is not fate. Fate suggests no agency. Karma insists on agency.
- It is not punishment from a judging god. It is consequence — like fire burning.
- It is not only about the next life. It plays out every minute in this life too.
Practical application
Before an action, ask three questions: Is this honest? Does it harm someone? Would I be at peace if everyone did this? If the answers hold, the action is unlikely to bind. The Bhagavad Gita adds one more refinement: act, but without clinging to the fruit. That is the highest karma.
Continue learning
Related teachings
Khetlaji
Folk diety
Asanbibi
Folk deity
Mātaṅgī
Tantric Hindu goddess and one of the ten Mahavidyas
Thirty-two forms of Ganesha
Verious forms of God Ganesha of Hinduism
Dattatreya
Hindu deity and combined avatar of the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva)
Navaratri Night 1 — Shailaputri, Daughter of the Mountain
Sati walks uninvited into her father's sacrifice and gives up her body there. She is born again as the daughter of the Himalaya — and the nine nights begin.