Karma in Hinduism is Cosmic in its operation range and extent. Accepting the Law of Karma with faith in God makes us understand that life is not an accident. It is based on an invisible moral order. While scientists talk about the visible physical order in the cosmos, the Law of Karma talks about the invisible moral order (Adhrshta phalam).The adhrshta-punya-papas are divided into three types.
Sanchitha Karma:
All unfructified punya-papas accumulated in the past infinite janmas are calledSanchitha Karma.
Prarabdha Karma:
Of this huge amount of Sanchitha Karmas, a portion fructifies giving a physical body. This fructifying portion is called Prarabdha Karma.Prarabdha means that which has begun to fructify. Prarabdha alone determines the type of body, the type of parentage, the duration of life and so on.Now, while exhausting Prarabdha Karmas, we are doing fresh karmas in this janma.
Agami Karma:
Agami means arriving. The punya papas which are acquired in this janma are called agami (yet toarrive and fructify in future) karma.Thus, we can say,Accumulated karmas are SanchithaFructifying ones are PrarabdhaArriving ones are Agami.
"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."
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.
