What is Karma?

In Sanskrit language, Karma means "actions" or "deeds”.

There are three types of karma:

1. Prarabdha karma - karma experienced during the present lifetime.
2. Sancita karma - the store of karma that has not yet reached fruition.
3. Agamin or Sanciyama karma - karma sown in the present life that will come to fruition in a future life

The accumulated effects of actions done in all one's past lives is the Sanchita Karma, which the Jeev(जीव, soul of a living organism) from birth to birth. Until the Sanchita Karmas are completely exhausted, there is no salvation to the Jeev. A portion of the Sanchita Karmas is taken out and allotted to be worked out in a particular incarnation of the Jeev, which is called the Prarabdha Karma. While the Jeev, thus, woks out it is Prarabdha Karmas through a given body, it performs fresh actions, which are called Agami Karmas, which are added to the balance of its Sanchita Karmas. 

Thus the cycle of Sanchitha, Prarabdha and Agami goes on during rebirth. It is said that, a horoscope is an indicator of the Prarabdha karma in coded language.

The Sanchita Karmas of an individual may be compared to a running account of which the Prarabdha Karmas are withdrawals and the Agami Karmas are the deposits. While the present body works out a certain amount of the Sanchita Karmas, it also adds something to it. This body is at once a product of Prarabdha and a cause of Agami. It would therefore appear that it is difficult to get freed from this cycle of transmigration, because the Sanchita will never get exhausted.

A question would naturally arise, is there no way out?

In case of Gyani (ज्ञानी) (A wise person who is endowed with Knowledge), the scriptures say Self Knowledge is so powerful that it destroys all Sanchitha Karmas. This is comparable to the radiation burning all cancerous cells in the body. The Prarabdha Karmas are exhausted by him through experience. He accepts them as God’s will and allows the body to go through them, without complaining. He exhausts all the Prarabdha Karmas, allotted to this present life. Agami does not come to a Gyani because his actions are done without ego, because he has not identified with the body – soul. When  a Gyani dies, sanchitha is burnt; prarabdha is exhausted and agami is avoided. So, there is no question of re-birth for him. He is free from all types of bondage.