Fruit of Actions
From the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita 3:27 says: “Every action is performed by the gunas of Prakriti. Deluded by ego, a person thinks, ‘I am the doer.’” Countless conditions must align for an action to occur, yet we see only our part. Heat, water, ingredients, health, time, lighting, and money combine to cook a meal. When we see this truth, our claim to ownership dissolves. Gita 2:47 says: “You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. Do not act for reward, nor long for inaction.” We expect success and reward, yet they are not in our hands. Work itself is its own motivation and reward. I cook a meal expecting it to be served, but if no one comes, the duty of cooking remains. Detachment from the results makes the truth clear. If I cannot claim ownership of my actions, how can I claim the reward?
That cooking a meal example quietly shrinks my ego down to size... because it takes the whole world lining up to get one thing on a plate. Kitchen math, honestly.