Meaning & Significance of Karma

Meaning & Significance of KarmaKarma is a Sanskrit word springing from the root "Kri" - "to do" or "to make" or more simply, "action". The deeper meaning of Karma can be described as an infinite chain of the results of action that is perceived and performed. Karma is a concept of wisdom, based on the Ancient Vedas and Upanishads, which explains a system where beneficial events are derived from past beneficial actions and harmful events from past harmful actions, creating a chain of actions and reactions throughout a person's reincarnated lives.

When we talk about "Our Karma" we're talking about the actions we've "sown" or performed in the past (including our past lives) that are the cause of what we "reap" in our current life situation. This either becomes our Karmic Burden or Karmic Baggage or our Karmic Blessing depending on whether we've performed positive or negative actions in the past.

Every action, either physical, emotional or mental, every movement occurring either on the plane of gross matter (Sthoolam) or on the astral planes (Sookshma), causes an emission of Energy. In other words, it produces a Seed.

Being a Seed, Karma fructifies or does not fructify immediately after it is sown. The innumerable Karmic Seeds we produce by our various actions - desire, aversion, love, hatred, happiness, etc. will undoubtedly produce, sooner or later, a positive or negative result according to the nature of the seed, if not in this life, then in some future one.

The Vedas propound, "Here they say that a person consists of desires. And as is his desire, so is his will. As is his will, so is his deed. Whatever deed he does, that he will reap."

Karma should not be confused with Fate. Fate is the notion that man's life is preplanned for him by some external power, and he has no control over his destiny. Karma on the other hand, can be corrected. Because man is a Conscious Being and he can be aware of his Karma and thus strive to change the course of events, with the help of superior powers.

Four Types of KarmaKarma is primarily of four kinds :

1. Sanchita Karma (Sum Total Karma or "Accumulated actions" or the Arrows in the Quiver)

Sanchita Karma is the vast store of piled-up Karma accumulated in the preceding and in all other previous births and yet to be resolved. In other words, it is the aggregate sum of yet unseen Karmas committed during innumerable previous existences. This is your total cosmic debt. Every moment of your every day, you are either adding to it or you are reducing this cosmic debt. It is waiting to be fulfilled in your future births. So unless and until the Sanchita Karma of a Soul is zeroed, it keeps on birthing in new physical bodies, in order to exhaust it's balance Sanchita Karma.

2. Praarabdha Karma (Fructifying Karma or "Actions began; set in motion" or Arrows in Flight)

That portion of the Sanchita Karma destined to influence human life in one or the present incarnation is called Praarabdha. In other words, Praarabdha Karma is Karmic Template (of that portion of Sanchita Karma) that is ripe enough to be experienced by you and alloted for this lifetime for you to work on. If you work down your agreed upon debt in this lifetime, then more past debts will surface to be worked on. And that much Sanchita Karma gets dissolved.

Jyotish, the Vedic Astrology and any other authentic method of Astrology, at it's best, can reveal only the Praarabdha Karma. Thus the Natal Horoscope is the Blue Print of the Karmic Energy Patterns of the Praarabdha Karma only.

3. Kriyamana Karma (Instant, Current Karma or "Being made" or Arrows in Hand)

Kriyamana Karma is the daily, instant Karma created in this lifetime and that we create in our life because of our free actions. It refers to those which are currently in front of us to decide or act on. This contributes to our Future Karma in a big way. They can also be worked off immediately. These are debts that are created and worked off - i.e. for example, you park your vehicle in a 'No Parking Space', you get caught and you are fined (punished) immediately.

While some Kriyamana Karmas bear fruit in the current life, others are stored for enjoying in future births. Thus the Kriyamana Karma is classified into two sub-categories: Arabdha Karma - literally, 'begun, undertaken;' the Karma that is 'sprouting'- and Anarabdha Karma - 'not commenced; dormant' or 'The Seed Karma'. An example : two persons committ a theft and one of them get caught - Arabdha Karma - and the other one got away - Anarabdha Karma. The thief who got caught, immediately starts to feel the effect of the cause or the reaction to his action; he gets caught and goes to jail. The other robber who escaped, will have to experience, in this life or in a future one, the effect of this wrongful action.

The Horary Chart of Prashanna and Aaruda methods of the Vedic Astrology, Tarot Reading, Runes Casting and I-Ching Reading, when done under guidance, can reflect both the Praarabdha Karma as well as the Kriyamana Karma. However, the Energy Consultancy (Energy Audit) and the resulting LifeForce Energy Assessment Report will be more accurate and more specific. It is, in a way, your latest Karmic Energy Bank Statement in the context of the query.

4. Aagami Karma (Future Karma)

Aagami Karma is the Karmic Map that is coming, as a result of the merits and demerits of the present actions of your current birth. In other words, it is the portion of Karma that is created because of the actions in the present life and that will be added to your Sanchita Karma. If you fail to work off your debt, then more debts are added to Sanchita Karma and they become more Karmic Seeds and are served to you in more future lives.