The Three Dimensions of Karmaphal: Action, Intention, and Result – कर्मफल के तीन आयाम: कर्म, संकल्प, और परिणाम (September 2025)
Every thought, every word, and every movement of the body is an action. And every action has a result. No action escapes its consequence. But if that is true, why do we not always see results right away? Are actions stored somewhere? Why do some people appear to be simply born lucky—or unlucky? Why do two people doing the same thing get very different results? These are some of questions, we will demystify in this month’s assignment.
Let’s start with the essence of the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.
“As you sow, so shall you reap.”
“जैसा कर्म करोगे, वैसा फल देगा भगवान। (गीता ज्ञान)”
Karmaphal is a very powerful principle. Yet most people do not fully understand it. Some get stuck on the different types of action, others forget the role of intention, and many are confused about why results arrive at such different times. In this article, we attempt to bring a fresh AIR of clarity.
A = Action → the types of karma
I = Intention → the motives behind karma
R = Result → the timing of the fruits
Action: The Three Types of Karma
Karma can be sorted into three clear categories.
- Sanchit Karma (संचित कर्म) is the store of all karmas from countless past lives. Imagine a huge bucket filled with marbles of many colors. Every action you have ever done is inside it.
- Prarabdha Karma (प्रारब्ध कर्म) is the portion chosen from that store for this life. It explains your family, your genes, your health at birth, and other unchangeable circumstances. Picture it as a medium bucket scooped out from the larger store.
- Kriyamaan Karma (क्रियमाण कर्म) is the karma you are creating now. Every choice you make today drops a new marble into this bucket. These marbles may spill back into the larger store if not used up. This is the one bucket you fully control.
While all the three types of actions together determine your current life experience, you can only control the Kriyamaan Karma, i.e., what you are doing right now. If you do not receive a result for the current action, it goes back to Sanchit Karma bucket. Think about an act of anonymous help, if you do not get a direct benefit, a future [direct or indirect] result is guaranteed.
Intention: The Hidden Driver
Not every action carries the same weight. Two people may do the very same thing, but the value of that act depends on the motive behind it. On the surface, the actions may appear identical; in truth, one may spring from love, another from self-interest, and a third from cruelty.
- Sattvika Karma (सात्त्विक कर्म) (pure, selfless): actions done simply because they are right.
- Rajasika Karma (राजसिक कर्म) (selfish, passionate): actions done with the hope of gaining something in return, such as praise, recognition, or reward.
- Tamasika Karma (तामसिक कर्म) (hurtful, harmful): actions born of laziness, ignorance, or meanness, sometimes even with the intent to cause pain.
The intention behind an action is usually invisible to others. At times, even the person acting may not fully see their own motive. Yet intention always colors karma, and it is what ultimately shapes the result.
Result: When Do Actions Bear Fruit?
Every action produces a result, but the time of its appearance can differ. Some results show up immediately, some emerge in the near future, others unfold only after a long delay, and a few extend into the next life.
- Instant results (क्षणिक फल) appear right away.
- Near-future (आगामी फल) results surface after a short gap.
- Long-term (दीर्घकालिक फल) results take a much longer period.
- Next-life (जन्मान्तर फल) results carry forward into another birth.
If a result does not appear at once, that does not mean you have escaped the law of karma. There is no tricking the system. Every action finds its consequence sooner or later—there is absolutely no escape.
It is often the timing of results that makes people label someone as “lucky” or “unlucky.” What looks like sudden good fortune or misfortune is simply karma ripening at its own time.
Putting It All Together
So, what does it all mean? Your results depend on three dimensions. What you brought from past lives sits in the Sanchit bucket. What has been assigned to this life is in the Prarabdha bucket. What you are choosing now goes into the Kriyamaan bucket. Add to that the intention—orange, red, or black—and the timing of the result—instant, near, long, or next life—and you see the full map of karma.
This is why two people may do the same action yet experience very different outcomes. Each one carries a different storehouse, lives under a different starting point, and acts with a different intention. Karma is not about luck. It is about a system of sowing and reaping across dimensions of time.
Every action matters. Nothing disappears. The only bucket you truly control is Kriyamaan karma, the actions you choose today. By making your choices pure and patient, you can transform your path, regardless of what you carried from the past.
Assignment
Write a short overview of the article in your own words. Practice! The overview shouldn’t take more than 2 min. Then choose one picture or diagram—such as the three karma buckets, the intention shadows, or the timing icons—and explain it in detail. Show how it helps you understand karma more clearly.
And, as always, make us proud!
Regards,
Harsh Mendiratta
www.hawan.net