Vipāka

From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia

By Swami Harshananda

Vipāka literally means ‘ripening’.

Vipāka, General Meaning[edit]

This word means the ripening state on a general note. However, it is used more in a technical sense as karmavipāka or the ripening of the karma.[1]

Vipāka as per Yogasutras[edit]

According to the Yogasutras[2] of Patañjali (200 B. C.), vipāka of a karma results in three things:

  1. Jāti - birth in a particular species of living beings
  2. Āyus - duration of life
  3. Bhoga - experience of good and bad results

Vipāka as per Ancient Medical Science[edit]

In the ancient medical sciences, the word was used to indicate the state of digestion of food.


References[edit]

  1. Karma is the actions about to give their results.
  2. Yogasutras 2.13
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore