Upanishads · Varāha 1.12
॥
Devanāgarī
प्रारब्धागाम्यर्जितानि कर्मत्रयमितीरितम् । वचनादानगमनविसर्गानन्दपञ्चकम्
Transliteration (IAST)
prārabdhāgāmyarjitāni karmatrayamitīritam | vacanādānagamanavisargānandapañcakam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्रारब्ध-आगामि-अर्जितानिprārabdha-āgāmi-arjitānithe begun, the impending, the accumulated
कर्म-त्रयम् इति ईरितम्karma-trayam iti īritamare called the triad of deeds
वचन-आदान-गमन-vacana-ādāna-gamana-speech, grasping, walking
विसर्ग-आनन्द-पञ्चकम्visarga-ānanda-pañcakamexcretion, and enjoyment — the quintet
Translation
"The begun, the impending, and the accumulated are called the triad of deeds. Speech, grasping, walking, excretion, and enjoyment — the quintet."
Version
41b0e0ab5290 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
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Three classes of deeds are named, and they form one of the most useful distinctions in Indian literature. Sanchita, "accumulated": the whole store of consequences of past deeds, not yet set in motion. Prarabdha, "begun": that portion of the store already set going and constituting the present life — body, birth, circumstances.
Agami, "impending": what is accumulated by present deeds. This distinction deserves examination, for it explains what can be changed in a human condition and what cannot. Prarabdha cannot be changed: it is already launched, like an arrow that has left the bow. It is lived out.
Agami is fully in our power: it is made now. Sanchita is the store, and it is over this that the whole dispute turns. The Vaishnava side asserts that, upon turning to the Lord, sanchita and agami are cancelled, while prarabdha is lived out; and hence a devotee falls ill and endures, but incurs no new debts.
The Bhagavatam speaks of this directly, discussed when reading the Jabala-darshana (6.45): for one who has surrendered, a small thing remains instead of a great one. Let us add what follows from this practically, and lifts the chief burden. A person beginning anew need not pay for everything past: the payment for what was begun is lived out, and the store is written off. And hence the question "will my life be long enough" does not arise here.