The simple and succinct definition of Karma is that "each and every physical action or deed that you perform with the cooperation of the mind, right from morning to evening, during the whole day and night, during the whole week, whole month, whole year and during the whole of your life right from birth to death is called Karma".

For example, getting up, sitting down, taking bath, washing, walking, standing, going to job, doing business, crying, laughing, awakening, seeing, not-seeing, joking, inhaling, exhaling, thinking, not-thinking, speaking, not-speaking, eating, not-eating, drinking, not-drinking, smelling,not-smelling, touching, not-touching, grasping or throwing by hands, passing or not-passing stool and urine, indulging or not indulging in sex, etc. - all these physical actions performed by all your ten senses, organs and limbs,performed as influenced and propelled by the likes and dislikes, attachments and non-attachments and with the co-operation of your mind and intellect are called 'Karma'.

All these Karmas are divided into three categories according to their stages as under

(1) KRIYAMAN KARMA means an action done at the spur of a moment or time in the present tense which instantaneously bears fruit and results in reaction then and there.

(2) SANCHIT KARMA (Cumulative Karma)
means the actions done but not yet ripe to give fruits immediately or on the spot but take some time to get ripened. Such Karmas are kept in abeyance pending in the balance waiting for the opportune time to become ripe, to give fruits in future. Till then they remain in balance and are accumulated (SANCHIT). Until their fructification, these Sanchit Karmas would not be neutralised.

(3) PRARABDHA KARMA means those
actions, out of the accumulated Sanchit Karmas which have now become ripe and are ready to give fruits. They are commonly known as destiny, luck, fate, fortune etc.

Let us understand the detailed meaning and the impact of the above three categories of Karma with illustrations.