[…] The concept of karma is much more complex than has been popularized in the West. According to the Hindu scriptures, our present and future circumstances are the combined result of three types of cause and effect—samcitta, prarabdha, and kriyamana. The first relates to the karma accumulated in all past lives, which defines our character and innate tendencies. The second is that which bears fruit in the present incarnation and cannot be avoided—for example, the ancestral inheritance registered in our DNA. And the third is the nascent karma, produced by our present actions, whether they are conscious or not. Ultimately, it is the latter that is worthy of more attention, as it will determine the other two.