Glossary · Philosophy
Karma
कर्म
What does Karma mean?
Karma literally means 'action'. In Vedic thought, every intentional act — physical, verbal, or mental — produces an effect that returns to the doer, in this life or a future one. This is not fatalism: the Gita teaches that while we cannot control results, we always control our actions.
Krishna's solution to the binding power of karma is Karma Yoga: perform your duty fully, but offer the results to the divine. Action done without selfish attachment purifies the mind and no longer binds the soul.