In Hinduism, the law of cause and effect that influences one’s destiny is called karma. The word comes from the Sanskrit karman, meaning action, deed, or work, and refers both to an act and to its consequences.
Karma is not simply a system of rewards and punishments. In many Hindu traditions, a person’s intentions and actions shape future circumstances, including experiences in this life and possible rebirths. Ethical conduct is therefore connected with the broader cycle of saṃsāra.
Hindu teachings traditionally describe several forms of karma. Sanchita karma is accumulated from past actions, while prārabdha karma is the portion understood to be bearing fruit in the present life. Āgāmi and kriyamāṇa karma concern consequences generated by current actions.
Karma is often confused with fixed fate, but the concepts are not identical. Dharma refers to duty, order, or righteous conduct; moksha is liberation from saṃsāra; and samsara is the cycle of rebirth. Interpretations of karma vary among Hindu schools.