Karma means action. Karma Siddantha is the theory of karma which says:

It’s the universal law of cause and effect; as you sow so you reap.

Types of Karma:

1. Sanchita Karma-the accumulated karma from past lives.
2. Prarabdha Karma-the portion of karma currently bearing fruit as your present life circumstances.
3. Kriyamana or Agami Karma-the new karma being created now through your actions in response to prarabdha karma.

Karma and re-birth:

A portion of the Sanchita karma is taken-out and assigned for a life span (called prarabhdha). End of the life, kriyamana karma generated is added back to Sanchita and again a portion of it is taken out for new life. Thus creating the cycle of Samsara.

From the vast store of sanchita karma, a portion is selected as prarabdha karma for a particular lifetime. This prarabdha always contains a mix of both punya (merit) and papa (demerit). The selection and sequence of these karmas are unique to each jiva, determined according to its capacity—this is reflected in the unfolding of dashas in Jyotisha. By divine design, no jiva is assigned karma that it cannot handle.

It is much like a school where students are placed in different classes according to their level of preparedness. Each class has its own syllabus, and in the same way, prarabdha becomes the syllabus of life for that individual.

In this sense, the world can be seen as God’s school, where the Divine Teacher guides each soul through a unique, one-on-one learning journey.

Prarabdha karma is further classified into two types: dhruda (fixed) and adhruda (non-fixed). While adhruda karmas can be altered or mitigated through appropriate counteractions, dhruda karmas are firmly set and must be experienced as they are.

From the perspective of Jyotisha, the horoscope reflects one’s prarabdha karma.

Karma is not set in stone; rather, it is a force set in motion by our past actions, which can be influenced or countered by an appropriate opposing force.

Karma is often misunderstood as a form of punishment; however, the most insightful way to view karma is as a “lesson” — an opportunity for growth and learning. Prarabdha karma brings about situations that offer the jiva a chance to evolve.

An example can help clarify this:

Suppose an employee has a manager who mistreats him at work. He may wrongly interpret the situation as punishment and silently endure it. Alternatively, he may try to escape by changing jobs. In either case, the karma remains unresolved and may resurface later — perhaps through another difficult manager at a new workplace, or even through a spouse or relative at home.

However, if the employee views the situation as a lesson, he begins to reflect inwardly. He may ask himself whether he is, in some way, mistreating others at work or at home. As he consciously corrects his behavior, the karma begins to dissolve. When genuine inner transformation occurs, the karma is exhausted and the circumstance changes for good.

Until the intended lesson is understood and integrated, karma tends to repeat itself through different circumstances.

The first step in effectively dealing with karma is to take responsibility for the consequences, understanding that “there is no effect without a cause.” The question of “why me ?” is answered by recognizing that our current circumstances stem from our own past actions — possibly extending across many lifetimes. What truly matters now is focusing on “what needs to be done?”

It is essential to respond rather than react. The difference between the two is profound: a reaction is impulsive and rooted in past conditioning (chitta), while a response is thoughtful and arises from conscious intellect (buddhi). Reactions perpetuate the cycle of karma, whereas responses offer a chance to break free from it. Reaction represents the unconscious use of free will, while response reflects free will exercised with awareness.

An example can help clear the concept. Let’s take a workplace, where a manager criticizes an employee’s work in a team meeting.

1. Reaction: Employee immediately gets defensive, interrupts the manager, or gives excuses in front of everyone.
   1. Driven by ego or hurt.
   2. Damages professional image.
   3. May lead to tension with employee’s manager or peers.
2. Response: Employee stays composed, listens carefully, and says – “Thank you for the feedback. I’ll review it and improve.” Later, employee asks for a one-on-one meeting to understand the concerns and clarify his/her points.
   1. Demonstrates maturity and professionalism.
   2. Opens the door for growth and better communication.

A profound question arises: how can we shift from being reactive to responsive? The answer lies in spiritual sadhana (practice). It clearly reflects one’s advancement on the spiritual path.

Ultimately, the purpose of karma is the purification of the jiva and its progression toward perfection and moksha.

Baba and Karma siddhanta:

Baba emphasized the significance of karma and the importance of honoring rinanu-bandha — the subtle bonds of debt and duty — highlighting that life is deeply interconnected and that we must fulfil the obligations we owe to others. An unpaid debt leaves the rina (debt) unresolved, thereby necessitating another birth to settle it.

Baba showed the working of the Karma siddhanta beautifully by keeping a sack of wheat in Dwarakamai and grinding a portion of this wheat. Here sack of wheat represents Sanchita Karma and grinding of a portion of wheat shows working on the prarabhda. If few of these wheat grains are to be sowed, it would create a plant and then produce more grains i.e., kriyamana or agami karma.

How can one transcend Karma?:

When one contemplates the vast and all-encompassing nature of the karma theory, it naturally raises the question — is it truly possible to transcend karma and attain moksha?

To transcend karma, one must renounce both the karma phala(fruits of action) and the kartrutva(sense of doership).

For one to attain moksha (liberation), the assigned prarabdha must be fully exhausted, no new kriyamana karma should be generated, and the sanchita karma must also be reduced to zero.

Normally, by merely reacting to life circumstances created by prarabdha karma, we place our life’s journey on auto-pilot. In doing so, we remain caught in the endless cycle of birth and death known as Samsara.

One way to break free from this cycle is to acquire knowledge about life and the human condition through the shastras, and consciously take charge of one’s life journey—much like piloting an aircraft oneself. This is the Jnana Marga, the path of knowledge.

Another way is to seek the guidance of an expert and follow their directions in navigating life. Although one is still piloting the aircraft, it is done under the guidance of a skilled instructor. Naturally, this increases the likelihood of reaching the destination more quickly. We see this approach in everyday life through coaches in sports or mentors in the corporate world. This represents the Bhakti Marga, the path of devotion, where the guide may be the Guru or one’s Ishta Devata.

Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga serve as preparatory disciplines that purify the mind and make it fit to pursue either the Bhakti Marga or the Jnana Marga.

Ultimately, both the paths of Bhakti and Jnana lead to the same destination—the realization of Moksha or Nirvana.

In Baba’s sampradaya (tradition), sharanagati (true surrender) to the Guru is the path to transcend karma and attain moksha.

Om Sairam _/\_