This Ganesh Chaturthi, Become a Cook
Recently, I was awarding some work to an interior contractor. Before signing the contract, and as a precondition, I asked him to first cook a dish and offer it to a god that he regularly prays to. Not being a cook himself, he was a bit tentative. I then told him he could take his wife’s help. After a couple of follow-ups, he finally made pulihora and sent me a photo of his pooja with the offering.
What is Karma Yoga?
We all know that the essence of Karma Yoga is to “offer all your actions to Ishvara and accept the results as prasadam.” In other words, to cultivate Ishvararpana Prasada Bhavana.
While we may understand this intellectually, how do we actually translate it into our way of life 365 days a year? How do we embody this knowledge so that all our daily actions are like naivedyam to Bhagwan?
Let’s Begin Tomorrow with Ganesh Pooja
Broadly speaking, any pooja has three components:
- Alankaraṇa
- Cooking Naivedyam
- Priest led Ritual
The third part of the puja is typically guided by a priest (these days sometimes even by YouTube videos). The priest chants in Sanskrit, a language many of us do not understand, and gives periodic instructions to offer flowers, sprinkle water, or ring the bell. Your attention keeps shifting as you focus on complying with his instructions and keeping pace. Your ability to concentrate and immerse yourself in the ritual is limited.
Cooking Naivedyam
On the other hand, when you make naivedyam, you can do it on your own without distractions. You can completely immerse yourself in the act from beginning to end. You can meditate and easily slip into a zone of absorption.
You will ensure that the quality of the offering itself is the highest possible. All the ingredients you use will be of the best quality. You will not knowingly accept any compromise. You will choose the freshest vegetables, the purest spices, and the cleanest vessel. Every action will be conscious and deliberate, with the intent to make the best possible naivedyam.
Once you get into this zone, you will not multitask. You will not scroll your phone while stirring the dish. Even the desire to talk diminishes. You will be fully present, and every single act will absorb your whole being.
Cognitive Shift
Why is this? Because it is not for you. You are cooking for Bhagwan. And when it is for Bhagwan, you naturally want to give your best. The thought of compromise simply doesn’t arise.
That is why cooking naivedyam is unlike any other act in your daily life. It pulls you into a different state of mind. A cognitive shift takes place. From distracted or half-hearted action to total attention. From “good enough” to “the very best.” From an I-centered effort to an ego less offering done with surrender. This is Karma Yoga in its most literal and practical form.
Treat Cooking as a Spiritual Practice
So start cooking naivedyam regularly, as a sadhana, as a spiritual path. Just as asanas make your body supple and meditation calms your mind, cooking naivedyam cultivates the attitude of surrender and the habit of offering your best actions to the Divine.
Over time, this attitude will transfer into everything you do. You will notice the change in your work and your life. Whatever the task, you will only want to give your best as an offering to Ishvara.
When the contractor asked me again why I made him cook, I told him that I wanted the work he does for me to have the same quality as the naivedyam he made for Bhagwan. With full attention. With no compromises. Using the highest quality material, executed with the spirit of offering. Understanding dawned upon him, and we signed the contract.
So if you want to be a Karma Yogi, become a cook. Starting tomorrow.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
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