Karta Profile Introduction
Bhagavad Gita – Types of Karta
Sattvik Karta
नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् ।
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ॥ १८-२३॥
niyataṃ saṅgarahitamarāgadveṣataḥ kṛtam
aphalaprepsunā karma yattatsāttvikamucyate 18-23
An action which is ordained, free from attachment, done without love or hatred, by one who is not desirous of its fruits, is declared to be Sattvic (pure).
Rajasic Karta
यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः ।
क्रियते बहुलायासं तद्राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥ १८-२४॥
yattu kāmepsunā karma sāhaṅkāreṇa vā punaḥ
kriyate bahulāyāsaṃ tadrājasamudāhṛtam 18-24
That action which is done by one longing for desires or gain, done with egoism or with much effort, is declared to be Rajasic (Passionate).
Tamasic Karta
अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् ।
मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत्तत्तामसमुच्यते ॥ १८-२५॥
anubandhaṃ kṣayaṃ hiṃsāmanapekṣya ca pauruṣam
mohādārabhyate karma yattattāmasamucyate 18-25
That action which is undertaken from delusion, without regard for the consequence, loss, injury, or ability, is declared to be Tamasic (dull).
Introduction: What is Karma and Karta?
Karma, according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, is an action—both physical and mental—that creates consequences across lifetimes (Coward, 1983). It is a psychological process, leaving samskara (memory traces) in the unconscious mind (chitta), shaping future behavior (vasanas). Karma is transcended through meditation, ethical living, and self-discipline.The Bhagavad Gita describes ‘karta’ or doer as one of the five factors of action and a person is called a ‘karta’ when he or she is the agent of activity influenced by the gunas namely sattva, rajas and tamas (Bhagavad Gita 18.13-18). It distinguishes between the Sattvik Karta, guided by discipline and free of ego; the Rajasic Karta driven by desire and the Tamasic Karta who is often deluded. The Nyaya Sutras further describe ‘Karta’ as the self which caused cognition and volition (Nyaya Sutras 1.10). Unlike Sankhya Nyasa, it accepts personal agency and free will of the self.
Gyata-kartutvam-Bhokta connection
In Indian philosophy, the Jnata or knower, Karta or doer and Bhokta or experiencer have a triadic relationship that articulates the multifaceted nature of self or atman in relation to knowledge, action and experience. The Vishistha advaita or non dualistic perspective states that the atman is inherently the ‘jnata’, ‘karta’ and ‘bhokta’ and that of possessing the ‘I- consciousness’ connected to the divine or ‘Brahman’. The self, despite connectedness with the supreme god, is independent in the sense of ethical action and spiritual evolution. Thus it experiences the result (Karma – phala) of its own actions and knowledge. The Bhokta arises due to action of the pleasure or pain from the karma, the kata arises due to initiated action and gnats because its the substratum of cognition and knowledge.
Comparative Table: Indian vs. Western Perspectives of Karma & Determinism
| Concept | Indian Philosophical Perspective | Western Psychological Perspective |
|---|---|---|
| Unconscious Traces | Samskara – impressions stored in the unconscious (chitta). | Neural energy patterns; archetypes (Jung) & personal unconscious. |
| Habit Formation | Samskara leads to Vasana—deep habitual tendencies. | Repetition forms neural pathways; instincts shaped by archetypes. |
| Motivation | Actions driven by vasanas formed over multiple lives. | Actions result from unconscious drives, often denying free will. |
| Free Will | Exists despite karmic influence; moral agency is preserved. | Denied or constrained by unconscious forces or conditioning. |
| Karta (Doer) | Eternal Atman is Karta, Bhokta (Experiencer), and Jnata (Knower). | Self as psychological construct; lacks inherent moral freedom. |
| Nature of Determinism | Karmic consequences unfold over lifetimes; not mechanical. | Causal/mechanistic determinism—rooted in physical cause-effect. |
| Self/Atman | Eternal, evolving through karma; retains moral choice. | Influenced by unconscious forces; sometimes fragmented. |
| Agency & Liberation | Ethical actions purify samskara, allowing moksha (liberation). | Focused on individuation/coping rather than metaphysical freedom. |
| Karma Typology | Distinguishes physical, emotional & intentional karma. | Actions not ethically graded by intention across lifetimes. |
Karta Score-Based Indicators
Each Karta type—Sattvik, Rajasic, and Tamasic—is scored on a scale of 1 to 10.
Sattvik Karta (The Harmonious Doer)
Satvik actions are aligned with the Sattva guna indicating those not consumed by pride, selfless and duty bound, and unaffected by outcomes of their actions. Sattvik doers are unaffected by success or failure and thus transcend aversion and attachments in their day to day life (Tomar, 2024).
Traits: Selfless, duty-bound, detached from outcomes (Tomar, 2024).
Low: Acts out of habit, lacks higher purpose (Paranjpe, 1996).
Moderate: Disciplined, moral, but mildly attached (Rao & Paranjpe, 2016).
High: Completely detached, free of ego, at peace (Rao & Paranjpe, 2016).
Rajasic Karta (The Passionate Doer)
Rajasic ‘Karta’ is alligned with Rajas Guna, and is characterized by passion, selfless actions, intense efforts and powerful desire for action based results (Tomar, 2024). Rajasic doers cannot perform actions without the expectations of results and are thus driven by a sense of ownership and ego. They are often motivated by affection and aversion unlike Sattvik Kartas.
Traits: Driven by passion, ambition, results-oriented (Tomar, 2024).
Low: Shifts goals frequently, seeks external validation (Paranjpe, 1996).
Moderate: Ambitious, disciplined, competitive (Paranjpe, 1996).
High: Obsessed with success, overconfident, lacks inner peace (Paranjpe, 1996).
Tamasic Karta (The Deluded Doer)
Tamasic actions , aligned with Tamas Guna, are often performed without consideration of consequences, potential harm or knowledge of one’s own capabilities. These actions are usually violent and harmful, ego driven and thus marked by strong aversion and attachment on part of the doer (Tomar, 2024). Tamasic doers often are deceptive, tend to argue, and find it difficult to exercise self control, and are often indecisive. These persons often procrastinate, are lazy and misery ridden.
Traits: Confused, procrastinates, prone to inaction (Tomar, 2024).
Low: Passive, avoids responsibility, lacks motivation (Rao & Paranjpe, 2016).
Moderate: Indecisive, acts selfishly under pressure (Paranjpe, 1996).
High: Deceptive, impulsive, emotionally volatile (Paranjpe, 1996).
- Coward, H. G. (1983). Psychology and Karma. Philosophy East and West, 33(1), 49.
Read more - Gita Ch 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga – Shlokam. (2021, September 8).
View Shlokam - IGNOU. (2017). Unit-5 Brief History of Indian Metaphysics. Egyankosh.ac.in.
Read more - K Ramakrishna Rao & Paranjpe, A. C. (2016). Psychology in the Indian Tradition.
New Delhi: Springer India. - Paranjpe, A. C. (1996). Some Basic Psychological Concepts from the Intellectual Tradition of India.
Psychology and Developing Societies, 8(1), 7–27.
Read more - Paranjpe, A. C. (1998). Self And Identity In Modern Psychology And Indian Thought.
Internet Archive.
View book - Potter, K. H. (1967). Freedom and Determinism from an Indian Perspective. Philosophy East and West, 17(1/4), 113.
Read more - Tomar, V. S. (2024). Self Management Through Self Evaluation. Prabhat Prakashan.
- Yogasutra Verses – Patanjali’s Yogasutra. (2020, November 22).
View verses