Karma refers to the cycle of cause and effect that governs human life.
But, that isn’t how it started.
The idea of Karma first appears in the oldest Hindu text, the Rigveda, with a limited meaning of ritual action. This idea was extended to philosophical ideology in the later Upanishads, where it was linked to actions and their consequences.
In Western ideology, consequences to actions are given out by a divine force.
However in Hinduism, Karma is independent of God and is just a causal energy of the universe that spans multiple lifetimes.
In Hinduism, there are 3 forms of Karma:
- Sanchita Karma - not been manifested yet
- Prarabdha Karma - to be experienced in this life
- Kriyamana Karma - to be experienced in the future (ie: next lifetime)
Karma has no expiration date but…
Once your Karma is equalized and there is none left to be accumulated and reaped in the future, your soul can attain salvation because you are freed from the cycle of rebirth and can reach Nirvana. Everything that is happening to us is a result of our past karma. Until and unless we have sowed and reaped for all our deeds, the cycle of rebirth will continue.
Can your karma be reversed?
Possibly, if you…
- Cultivate detachment (vairagya) and higher values (viveka)
- Perform your ordained duties with no desire for personal gain
- Drop your ego
