Karma is the conjunction of desire and effort. If there is no desire but only effort then it is not karma. It will be selfless service. When karma is affiliated to vedic prescriptions, it is called 'Sankalpa'. That is why vedas prescribe yagnas, yaagas, poojas, vratas, homas etc. If you wish whole heartedly and put efforts as per vedic prescriptions, you will able to fulfill your wish. Then you will feel satisfied. But that is not the end. Another wish germinates after enjoying the fruits of karma. Again there will be a sankalpa. That wish will be fulfilled. You feel satisfied. Then another wish. And it goes on. Like this, you are trapped in the cycle of karma.
A wish germinates because of 'Icha shakti'. That is Divine Mother. We acquire knowledge of how to fulfill the wish. This is Gnana shakti. That is also Divine Mother. Then we put efforts to fulfill the wishes. It is Kriya shakti. That is also Divine Mother. As long as we enjoy the fruits of karma, we cycle through the Icha, Gnana and Kriya shaktis.
A quick and easy way to escape from this karmic cycle is to sacrifice the fruits of karma. You take a sankalpa but after the wish is fulfilled, sacrifice the fruits. This will break the cycle and relieves you from the bonds of karma. Then you will realize your true form - Satchidananda - The everlasting happiness. Below is the explanation on how this happens technically.
Humans by nature are joyous. They are best of God's creation. They enjoy the bliss of Atma. When a wish germinates in the mind, it distances itself from Atma. It turns towards the external world. So the distance between the mind and Atma increases. The joy reduces. As explained above, we take a sankalpa and fulfill the wish with help of Icha, Gnana and Kriya shaktis. After the wish is fulfilled, the mind starts its journey back to Atma. So the distance between them reduces. So the joy increases. But because the mind is still looking at the outer world, it thinks that the joy is due to fulfilling of the wish. Another wish germinates before it reaches Atma. The mind gets distracted again. This is called vikalpa. And like this you get entangled in the karmic cycle. Every time a wish is fulfilled, the joy increases due to Atma. But the mind thinks it is due to the wish. That is why vedas called the mind - sankalpa vikalpa sangatha. One that is oscillating between sankalpa and vikalpa. Sacrificing the fruits of karma is the way to escape this.
Vedas don't stop anyone from fulfilling their wishes. In fact, they prescribe ways and means to fulfill every ones wishes. But they should be used to realize the these are momentary. That these won't last. That the real joy is Atma. That the everlasting happiness comes from inside. When you are hungry and feel like eating a tasty pudding, go for it with the money your earned righteously. After the hunger is satisfied, donate the remaining food to poor and needy. After meeting all the monthly expenses, donate the remaining money from your salary. While making the donation, pray to Divine Mother and ask her to relieve yourself from the cycle of karma. This will definitely lead you to nirvana.
