karma means action & is referenced in the older texts as ritualistic action. ritual like a rite, is a formal expression of a sacred nature. there were wild fire rituals for example in the vedas. later in the upanishads- karma was expounded as action in a larger sense- a single minded way of acting & interacting with the world and self ritualistically but these older texts were written with the most dedicated spiritual aspirant in mind- the renunciates, sadhus etc. then the bhagavad gita which is