Karma: Definition, Types, And How To Get Rid Of Them

Karma when literally translated from Sankrti to English means Action." It originates from the dhatu or root word "kri" which means"To act." Karma of the consequences of our deeds can be from the past, present and the future. Karma refers to deeds done on three levels, of mind, body and heart. In other words, of thought, word and deed.
We shall reap what we sow, which means that our actions follow us from the past to the present birth to recreate the situation in which we inflicted harm to any one and help us go through the same situation so that a lesson can be learnt. Your karma results are directly proportional to the store of our karma that needs to be experienced by us this lifetime.
अचोद्यमानानि यथा, पुष्पाणि फलानि च।
स्वं कालं नातिवर्तन्ते, तथा कर्म पुरा कृतम्।
Flowers and fruits appear when the time is due or ripe, at the destined time. Karma in the same way, confers good or bad at the right opportune time. (We have to get back what we gave to people sometime or the other.) Mahabharata says "As the young calf is able to spot the mother cow from among a herd of thousand cows, so will karma find the person wherever he is. "
As per Srimad Bhagavatam, If a person has not atoned his mistake by the way of Prayashchitta, he will enter hellish regions after death.It is important to go through the prayashchitta as per the severity of your karma.
Padma purana says that the praarabdha karma can be destroyed through Bhakti to Vishnu. Anything, good or bad, happening to us in our life is a result of our karma. Karma is an integral part of the Hindu and Buddhist philosophical thought.

Three kinds of Karma

It is said that there are three kinds of karma: past karma, present karma and future karma. The present karma is the result of the past karmas, and will determine our future karmas. They are known as Sanchita (accumulated karma), Prarabdha (fructifying karma) and Kriyamana or Agami (present karma)
Your physical constitution and tendencies is the result of your past karma. These karmic impressions have their own imprint on the circumstances you are in and the choice you make.

1. Sanchitha

The past karmas or actions which were completed in the past life and not atoned for, will remain as Sanchita karma. They are irreversible and follow you like the proverbial calf that would spot its mother wherever she is. The past karmas might be from the immediate past or from several other past lives. According to the past karma, the human being's tendencies, abilities, proclivities and desires take shape. They are called Vritti.

2. Prarabdha

These are the ripe and fructuous actions and reactions. The things that you did in the past make you what you are today. It cannot be avoided or changed, but only exhausted by being experienced. Prarabdha is that portion of the past Karma which is responsible for the present body and personality. That portion of the Sanchita Karma which is ripe for reaping, cannot be changed and can be depleted or got rid of only by suffering it. Prarabdha Karma is that which has just begun and bearing consequences.

3. Agami

Agami Karma is the karma we are doing at present and it is our current choices that is going to be stored as karma for the future. It is called Kriyamana or Agami karma.
The suffering that you go through reminds you that such a sinful deed should not be repeated any time again by you. Performing righteous actions will bring in happiness as the consequence. We create our future depending on your present actions and thoughts.
Sanchita Karma can be destroyed by attaining Brahma gnyana or divine wisdom. Virtuous actions and developing values or virtues can greatly help here. Agami Karma can be destroyed by expiatory rites or Prayaschitta; and by removing the ego and acquiring the Nimitta Bhava in which you believe that you are just an instrument in God's hands and Sakshi Bhava (Silently observing the functioning of mind).

The learned say that Karma can be erased up to 75% with due japa and puja to the right form of Deity. Rest 25% needs to be suffered and got over with. Excess of good karmas can draw your good period close to you.

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