The Law of Karma stands as the single most vital principle of Hindu Sastra and the very heart of Indian astrology. In its essence, karma means “deeds,” and its scope stretches across lifetimes through the doctrine of transmigration of souls, the cycle of births.
According to ancient wisdom, every action, no matter how small, generates results (karma phalam), which are divided into two types: visible and invisible. Each of these can be good (puṇyam) or bad (paapam), and together they shape the joys (sukham) and sorrows (duḥkham) of life.
Three Kinds of Karma
The tradition recognizes three clear divisions:
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Adridha – Unfixed and alterable karma.
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Aagami – Future karmas, even if unintended.
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Samcita – The sum total of all past karmas stored in one’s karmic account.
These determine the “cause” behind life’s pleasures and pains. Good deeds (avihita karma) yield puṇyam and happiness; bad deeds (vihita karma) bring pāpam and suffering.
The Timeframe of Results
The law does not fix a uniform schedule for karmic results. Just as different seeds sprout at different times, some karmas fructify quickly, while others may take much longer. Death only ends the physical body; the subtle body (sukshma sarira) carries unfructified karmas into the next life, demanding another physical form for their fulfillment.
This continuing cycle determines the type of birth one receives, explaining why some are born into hardship while others enjoy ease. The apparent unfairness of “good people suffering” and “bad people thriving” finds its answer here: both reap the surplus karmas: good or bad: carried from previous lives. The remedy lies in prāyaścitta karma, deliberate actions to cleanse accumulated pāpam.
Fate and Free Will
The law draws a clear line between fate and free will. The present, shaped by the past, is fate.
The future, determined by the present, is free will. Fate is not fixed in stone, it is a changeable destiny, very much in the hands of the individual.
The Creator writes only the first and last pages of life,birth and death. The middle page is ours to fill with good karmas.
The Path to Liberation
The cycle of birth and rebirth, ongoing since the anādi-kāla (beginningless time), can be broken only by attaining moksha, the ultimate salvation. This requires reducing pāpam and increasing puṇyam in the present life. At the antima janma (final birth), the gross body (sthūla), subtle body (sūkṣma), and karmic body (karma śarīra) merge with the Lord in videha-mukti.
Astrology’s Sacred Role
Astrology, is a divine gift to guide individuals in redeeming their pūrva karma. Its doctrines specify remedies for past karmas, enabling one to progress toward liberation. Astrologers are entrusted with the role of helping people navigate this path, using the birth chart as a karmic map.
The Law of Karma is the single core factor for Indian astrology, shaping all other aspects of the subject.