Prarabdha karma
Encyclopedia
Prarabdha Karma are the part of sanchita karma
, a collection of past karma
s, which are ready to be experienced through the present body (incarnation
).
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." - "All About Hinduism" by Sri Swami Sivananda
Each lifetime, a certain portion of the sanchita karma
, most suited for the spiritual evolution at the time, is chosen to be worked out, during the course of the lifetime. Subsequently this Prarabdha Karma creates circumstances which we are destined to experience in our present lifetime, they also place certain limitations via our physical family, body or life circumstances we are born into, as charted in our birth chart or horoscope
, collectively known as fate or destiny (determinism
).
There is another beautiful analogy also. The granary represents the sanchita karma; that portion taken from the granary and put in the shop for future daily sale corresponds to agami; that which is sold daily represents prarabdha.
verse 21 as follows in Devanagari for probity and as rendered in English by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar (1914):
Sage Ramana Maharshi
presents another viewpoint when he says, "If the agent, upon whom the Karma depends, namely the ego, which has come into existence between the body and the Self, merges in its source and loses its form, how can the Karma, which depends upon it, survive? When there is no ‘I’ there is no Karma.", a point well reiterated by sage Vasistha
in his classical work Yoga Vasistha
, wherein, when Lord Rama asks sage Vasistha
about the way to transcend the two binding effects of past karmas, namely Vasanas or the effect of impressions left on the mind by past actions and one's fate created by Prarabdha Karma, to which he replies, through with Divine grace (Kripa
), one can go beyond the influences of past actions.
The Bhakti Yoga
theme within the Chapter seven of the Bhagavad Gita
also talks eloquently about the concept of Kripa
, but its most important verse comes in the final eighteenth chapter, about Liberation, where Krishna
finally makes a sweeping statement to Arjuna
in Verse 18.66, "Setting aside all meritorious deeds (Dharma
), just surrender completely to My will (with firm faith and loving contemplation). I shall liberate you from all sins. Do not fear."
Sanchita karma
In Hinduism, sanchita karma is one of the three kinds of karma. It is the sum of one's past karmas – all actions from one's past life follow through to the next life....
, a collection of past karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
s, which are ready to be experienced through the present body (incarnation
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
).
According to Sri Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda Saraswati was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism...
: "Prarabdha is that portion of the past karma which is responsible for the present body. That portion of the sanchita karma
Sanchita karma
In Hinduism, sanchita karma is one of the three kinds of karma. It is the sum of one's past karmas – all actions from one's past life follow through to the next life....
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." - "All About Hinduism" by Sri Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda Saraswati was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism...
Each lifetime, a certain portion of the sanchita karma
Sanchita karma
In Hinduism, sanchita karma is one of the three kinds of karma. It is the sum of one's past karmas – all actions from one's past life follow through to the next life....
, most suited for the spiritual evolution at the time, is chosen to be worked out, during the course of the lifetime. Subsequently this Prarabdha Karma creates circumstances which we are destined to experience in our present lifetime, they also place certain limitations via our physical family, body or life circumstances we are born into, as charted in our birth chart or horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
, collectively known as fate or destiny (determinism
Determinism
Determinism is the general philosophical thesis that states that for everything that happens there are conditions such that, given them, nothing else could happen. There are many versions of this thesis. Each of them rests upon various alleged connections, and interdependencies of things and...
).
Kinds of Prarabdha 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.In Vedas
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.There is another beautiful analogy also. The granary represents the sanchita karma; that portion taken from the granary and put in the shop for future daily sale corresponds to agami; that which is sold daily represents prarabdha.
Primary literature
'Prarabdha' (Devanagari: प्रारब्ध) is employed in the Nada Bindu UpanishadNada Bindu Upanishad
Nada Bindu Upanishad is one of the 'minor' Upanishads and is considered part of the Rig Veda. The status of the Nada Bindu Upanishad as a 'minor' Upanishad is contestable but this is how it was first presented to English scholarship with its inclusion by K...
verse 21 as follows in Devanagari for probity and as rendered in English by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar (1914):
- आत्मानं सततं ज्ञात्वा कालं नय महामते | प्रारब्धमखिलं भुञ्जन्नोद्वेगं कर्तुमर्हसि || २१||
- 21. O intelligent man, spend your life always in the knowing of the supreme bliss, enjoying the whole of your Prarabdha (that portion of past Karma now being enjoyed) without making any complaint (of it).
End of Prarabdha Karma
According to many sages and philosophers, Prarabdha karma end only after we have but experienced their consequencesSage Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi
Sri Ramana Maharshi , born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual master . He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After experiencing at age 16 what he later described as liberation , he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus...
presents another viewpoint when he says, "If the agent, upon whom the Karma depends, namely the ego, which has come into existence between the body and the Self, merges in its source and loses its form, how can the Karma, which depends upon it, survive? When there is no ‘I’ there is no Karma.", a point well reiterated by sage Vasistha
Vasistha
Vashist in the seventh, i.e the present Manvantara, and the Rajpurohit / Rajguru of the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty. He was the mānasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners...
in his classical work Yoga Vasistha
Yoga Vasistha
Yoga Vasistha is a Hindu spiritual text traditionally attributed to Valmiki. It recounts a discourse of the sage Vasistha to a young Prince Rama, during a period when the latter is in a dejected state...
, wherein, when Lord Rama asks sage Vasistha
Vasistha
Vashist in the seventh, i.e the present Manvantara, and the Rajpurohit / Rajguru of the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty. He was the mānasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners...
about the way to transcend the two binding effects of past karmas, namely Vasanas or the effect of impressions left on the mind by past actions and one's fate created by Prarabdha Karma, to which he replies, through with Divine grace (Kripa
Kripa
Not to be confused with "Kripa" , a female given name.Kripa , also known as Kripacharya or Krupacharya is an important character in the Mahābhārata, one of the seven Chiranjivin .He was the son of Shardwan and Janapadi, born in a particularly extraordinary manner Not to be confused with "Kripa" , a...
), one can go beyond the influences of past actions.
The Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga is one of the types of yoga mentioned in Hindu philosophies which denotes the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion to a personal form of God....
theme within the Chapter seven of the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
also talks eloquently about the concept of Kripa
Kripa (philosophy)
Kripa is the concept of divine grace in Hinduism. It is the central tenet of Bhakti Yoga and Bhakti movements, which are seen as reform movements in Hinduism as compared to the Hinduism which finds its origins in the Vedas; though variously it can mean "grace", "mercy", or "blessing", depending...
, but its most important verse comes in the final eighteenth chapter, about Liberation, where Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
finally makes a sweeping statement to Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
in Verse 18.66, "Setting aside all meritorious deeds (Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
), just surrender completely to My will (with firm faith and loving contemplation). I shall liberate you from all sins. Do not fear."
Further reading
- Living Liberation in Hindu Thought, by Andrew O. Fort, Patricia Y. Mumme. Published by SUNY Press, 1996. ISBN 0791427056.
- Paths to Transcendence: According to Shankara, Ibn Arabi, and Meister Eckhart, by Reza Shah-Kazemi. Published by World Wisdom, Inc, 2006. ISBN 0941532976.