What is fate or destiny? Is our life pre-determined? If it's pre-determined what should we do? These are some of the questions that sometimes trouble us when something bad befalls. I am not wise enough to give answers on these topics but we can also turn towards the experts for answers. Below is an explanation.

Karma is of three types. Prarabhda Karma, Sanchita Karma and Agami Karma. Prarabhda Karma is that which we are presently undergoing and experiencing. Sanchita means all the past Karma, Agami refers to Karma that will follow in future. Prarabhda is in between the Sanchita and Agami, and we are experiencing this Prarabhda on account of the previous Sanchita Karma. The result of what we do now will come in future. I shall give you a small example from our daily life. We have got a storeroom in which we stock all our rice. We have already the old stock of rice in the store. What we have stored in the room is called Sanchita. When we want to cook, we remove some rice from the storeroom and begin to cook it. What we bring from the storeroom for cooking today is called Prarabhda. What we cook now and what we eat today will pass out of our body tomorrow. Sometimes what we eat may come out in the shape of a belch. Therefore, we cannot escape from Prarabhda, we must experience it in this life. In the storeroom, there is only rice. When we bring it we will be able to convert it into many preparations. In this way, we can make the rice into food, we can make it in the form of 'Pulihora'; we can cook it in the shape of 'Chakrapongal'; we can make from it 'Idlies' and also 'Dosas' and so on, all of which are names for different preparations from rice. We never change the base which is always rice. You have to start any preparation with rice only. Even though there is Sanchita, if you try to behave in a Sathwic way, in a pious and good way, you will be able to change even Sanchita. You may say that in the rice store, there are big stones. They are the result of our bad actions. They are in the store mixed with rice. Before we cook, do we not try to remove the stones from the rice? So it is quite necessary that when we experience Sanchita, we can overcome the bad effects to some extent or a great extent and make them clean, just as we make the rice clean.

Here is another example. Prarabhda can be compared to the dust that follows in the wake of a bus. When the bus is going, the dust also will be following it. So when the Karma which can be compared to the bus, is running, the Prarabhda, which can be compared to the dust, will be pursuing it. When the bus stops and does not travel, then the dust comes and falls over it. But when the bus does not stop and keeps on running, the dust will be only at a distance. So when we are satisfactorily doing our daily duties without interruption, the dust or the Prarabhda will be at a distance and behind us without affecting us. You may ask how long can we travel in a bus? We have to stop somewhere. It is not so. This road is of three kinds: work, worship and wisdom. This work is related to Karma and dust will be only there. You may take this as a village road. But if you pass some distance, then you will have a better road, a tar road. When the tar road comes, the dust will never fall on the bus. If you go still further you shall reach the trunk road, the highway. So the road of Karma is called the village road. Bhakthi or worship is the town road or the tar road. Wisdom is the highway wherein there is no possibility of the dust coming. When we are following only the path of Karma, this Prarabhda will never come to an end. But, if we do the Karma in a way that we perform all actions for the pleasure and for the satisfaction of God, in worship and dedication to Him, no Prarabhda will trouble us.

                                     - By Sathya Sai Baba delivered in a discourse on May 1972