A) (1) Karma in Vedic Discipline:

Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains causality through a system where beneficial effects are
derived from past beneficial actions and harmful effects from past harmful actions, creating a system of
actions and reactions throughout a person's reincarnated lives.
The doctrine of transmigration of the soul, or fateful retribution for acts committed, does not appear in the
Rig Veda.
The concept of karma appeared in Hindu thought during the period 800-200 BC and became widespread
during the period considered as "Classical Hinduism" 200 BC - 1100 AD.
"Karma" literally means "deed" or "act", and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and
effect, action and reaction, which Hindus believe governs all consciousness. Karma is not fate, for man
acts with free will creating his own destiny.
The Vedas tell us that if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. Karma
refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which
determine our future. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction. Not all
karmas rebound immediately. Some accumulate and return unexpectedly in this or other births.
2) Karma is our own making:
We produce Karma in four ways:
through thoughts
through words
through actions that we perform ourselves
through actions others do under our instructions
Everything that we have ever thought, spoken, done or caused is Karma; as is also that which we think,
speak or do this very moment.
3) Hindu scriptures divide Karma into three kinds:
(i) Sanchita Karma:
Sanchita is the accumulated karma. It would be impossible to experience and endure all karmas in one life.
From this stock of sanchita karma, a handful is taken out to serve one lifetime and this handful of actions,
which has begun to bear fruit and which will be exhausted only on their fruit being enjoyed and not
otherwise, is known as Prarabdha Karma.
(ii) Prarabdha Karma:
Prarabdha Fruit-bearing karma is the portion of accumulated karma that has "ripened" and appears as a
particular problem in the present life.
According to Sri Swami Sivananda: "Prarabdha is that portion of the past karma which is responsible for
the present body. That portion of the sanchita karma which influences human life in the present incarnation
is called prarabdha. It is ripe for reaping. It cannot be avoided or changed. It is only exhausted by being
experienced. You pay your past debts. Prarabdha karma is that which has begun and is actually bearing
fruit. It is selected out of the mass of the sanchita karma."
There are three kinds of Prarabdha karma: Ichha (personally desired), Anichha (without desire) and
Parechha (due to others' desire). For a self realized person, a Jivan mukta, there is no Ichha-Prarabdha but
the two others, Anichha and Parechha, remain, which even a jivan mukta has to undergo.

(iii) Kriyamana Karma:

Kriyamana or Agami Karma (also called Vartamana Karma) is that which is being accumulated now that
will affect future births. It is like an insurance policy for the future and a good record during this birth will
ensue in a better life in the next birth.
Kriyamana is everything that we produce in current life. All kriyamana karmas flow in to sanchita karma and
consequently shape our future. Only in human life we can change our future destiny. After death we loose
Kriya Shakti (ability to act) and do (kriyamana) karma until we are born again in human body.
4) Karma and Parabrahmam:
Swami Sivananda, an Advaita scholar, reiterates the same views in his commentary synthesising Vedanta
views on the Brahma Sutras, a Vedantic text. In his commentary on Chapter 3 of the Brahma Sutras,
Sivananda notes that karma is insentient and short-lived, and ceases to exist as soon as a deed is
executed. Hence, karma cannot bestow the fruits of actions at a future date according to one's merit.
Furthermore, one cannot argue that karma generates apurva or punya, which gives fruit. Since apurva is
non-sentient, it cannot act unless moved by an intelligent being such as God. It cannot independently
bestow reward or punishment.
There is a passage from Swami Sivananda's translation of the Svetasvatara Upanishad (4:6) illustrating
this concept:
Two birds of beautiful plumage inseparable friends live on the same tree. Of these two one eats the
sweet fruit while the other looks on without eating.
In his commentary, the first bird represents the individual soul, while the second represents Brahman or
God. The soul is essentially a reflection of Brahman. The tree represents the body. The soul identifies itself
with the body, reaps the fruits of its actions, and undergoes rebirth. The Lord alone stands as an eternal
witness, ever contented, and does not eat, for he is the director of both the eater and the eaten.
Swami Sivananda also notes that God is free from charges of partiality and cruelty which are brought
against him because of social inequality, fate, and universal suffering in the world. According to the Brahma
Sutras, individual souls are responsible for their own fate; God is merely the dispenser and witness with
reference to the merit and demerit of souls.
5) Analogies for Karma:
(i) In his commentary on Chapter 2 of the Brahma Sutras, Sivananda further notes that the position of God
with respect to karma can be explained through the analogy of rain. Although rain can be said to bring
about the growth of rice, barley and other plants, the differences in various species is due to the diverse
potentalities lying hidden in the respective seeds. Thus, Sivananda explains that differences between
classes of beings are due to different merits belonging to individual souls. He concludes that God metes
rewards and punishments only in consideration of the specific actions of beings.
(ii) In Vedantic literature, there is a beautiful analogy. The bowman has already sent an arrow and it has left
his hands. He cannot recall it. He is about to shoot another arrow. The bundle of arrows in the quiver on his
back is the sanchita; the arrow he has shot is prarabdha; and the arrow which he is about to shoot from his
bow is agami. Of these, he has perfect control over the sanchita and the agami, but he must surely work
out his prarabdha. The past which has begun to take effect he has to experience.
(iii) There is another beautiful analogy also. The total stock represents the sanchita karma; that portion
taken from the stock and put in the shop for future daily sale corresponds to agami or Kriyamana; that
which is sold daily represents prarabdha.

B) Karmas (or rituals) to be performed daily by Hindus is different from the above explained Karma Theory.
These are only rituals.
The Karmas are broadly classified into five types as follows:
1) Nitya Karma Daily Obligatory Duties
2) Naimittika Karma --Occasional Obligatory duties
3) Kamya Karma Rites done to attain desired results like Jyotistoma Yaga for reaching Heaven
4) Prayaschitta Karma Rites for expiation of sins like Candrayana Vrata
5) Nishiddha Karma Forbidden action like killing, drinking etc
(i) Nitya Karmas:
Nitya Karmas representing the Daily Obligatory Duties for a Grhastha (householder) includes the following:
1) Pratah Sandhya Vandanam (Morning)
2) Samitadanam ( For Brahmachari)
3) Aupasanam
4) Agnihotram (For Agnihotris)
5) Agni Sandhanam
6) Deva-Rishi-Pitru Tarpanam
7) Brahma Yajnam,
8) Vaisva Devam
9) Bhagavad Aradhanam
10) Madhyanikam ( Afternoon)
11) Sayam Sandhya Vandanam (Evening)
12) Pratyabdika Sraddham ( Yearly Ceremony)
13)Amavasya
14) Mahalayam
The non-performance of Nitya Karmas results in sins.
(ii) Naimittika Karmas:
"naimittikni - putrajanmdyanubandhni jteydni."
Jtei sacrifices (which are performed subsequent to the birth of a son) etc. are called the naimittika-karma or
rites to be observed on special occasions [Vedntasra, 10]
Naimittika Karmas representing the rites to be performed on special occasions for a Grhastha
(householder) mainly includes the following main 16 Samskaras (40 Samskaras are mentioned in the
Scriptures) and other Pitru Karmas:
Samskaras:
1) Garbhadana - Conception rite
2) Pumsavana Rite before Birth
3) Simantonnaya- Rite before Birth
4) Jatakarma At Birth
5) Namakaranam Naming ceremony
6) Niskramana First Outing of the baby and viewing the Sun
7) Karna Vedana Ear Piercing rite
8) Annaprasana Feeding
9) Chaula Tonsure

10) Vidyarambha Beginning of Studies

11) Upanayan Sacred Thread
12) Vedarambha Beginning of Study of Vedas
13) Keshantha Shaving of Beard
14) Samvartana Completion of Studies
15) Vivaha Marriage
16) Anthyeshti Death
Pitru Karmas:
1) Preta Sraddham
2) Sapindikaranam
3) Sankramana Sraddham ( Monthly)
4) Grahana Sraddham ( Solar / Lunar Eclipse)
5) Sodakumbham
6) Nandi Sraddham
Others:
1) Upakarma (Avani Avittam)
2) Gayathri Japam
The non-performance of Naimittika Karmas results in sins.
(iii) Kaamya Karmas:
Kaamya karmas refer to those Karmas (or rituals) in Hinduism which are performed with a specific
objective in view. Unlike Nitya karmas, these rituals are not required by the Shastras to be performed on a
daily or regular basis, but these may be performed only for acquiring some desire. A few kaamya-karmas
are listed below:
Putrakameshti
Agnistoma
Agnicayana
(iv) Nishiddha Karma:
Nishiddha Karma are heinous acts (declared as immoral).
(v) Prayaschitha Karma;
Prayaschitha Karma is one when one repents for his actions.