Arjuna says:
If, O Kṛṣṇa, you consider intelligence to be superior to action, why do you urge me to engage in this terrible deed?

You confuse me with statements that seem to contradict each other; tell me for certain the way I can reach the highest good.

Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
O sinless one, as I have mentioned in this world there are two paths: jñāna-yoga for those who are ready to contemplate and analyse, and karma-yoga for those ready to act in detachment.

Understand that no one achieves freedom from action simply by abstaining from it, and no one ever attains perfection by renunciation alone.

No one can remain still even for a moment without performing action. Everyone is helplessly forced to act by the guṇas born from material nature.

One who restrains the organs of action while still contemplating on the objects of the senses is deluded and a hypocrite.

But, Arjuna, one who can subdue the senses with the mind and practice karma-yoga with the organs of action, free from attachment, is far superior.

You must perform your duty for action is superior to the avoidance of action. Understand that one cannot even maintain one's own body without action.

Apart from action done in a spirit of sacrifice, this world is bound by action. Therefore, Arjuna, being free from attachment, you must act with this purpose alone.

In the beginning, the Lord of all beings created humans, along with the sacrifice, saying: 'By this shall you prosper; this shall be the cow of plenty granting all your desires.'

By this, may you nurture the gods, and in return the gods will nurture you. In this way, nurturing one another, you will obtain the highest good.

The gods, pleased by sacrifice, will bestow on you the enjoyments you desire. One who enjoys the gifts of the gods without offering them anything in return is verily a thief.

The righteous who eat the remnants of sacrifices are freed from all sins. But the sinful ones who cook only for their own gratification eat only sin.

All beings are sustained by food; food is produced from rain; rain comes from sacrifice; and sacrifice is achieved through action.

This ritual action comes from the Vedas and the Vedas come from the Supreme Lord, therefore that all-pervading divinity is ever established in acts of sacrifice.

O Arjuna, one who does not follow this cycle, which has been set in motion, lives in error. Revelling in the senses, he lives in vain.

But the person who delights in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self, who rejoices in the Self, for him there is nothing left to achieve.

For such a person there is nothing to gain from renouncing or performing action, nor is he dependent on any other being.

Therefore, always perform that work which ought to be done without attachment. For one who acts without attachment attains the Supreme.

Verily, by karma-yoga alone did Janaka and others reach perfection. Indeed, you should act bearing in mind the welfare of the world.

Whatever an eminent person does, other people also do; whatever standard that one sets, the world follows.

For Me, O Arjuna, there is nothing in all the three worlds which needs to be done, nor is there anything for Me to gain. But despite this, I continually engage in action.

For if I did not continuously engage Myself in action, the world would follow My example.

If I did not perform action these worlds would perish; I would be the author of confusion and the cause of destruction for living beings.

Arjuna, just as the ignorant act with attachment to their work, so should the wise act without any attachment, thinking only for the welfare of the world.

The wise should not disturb the minds of the ignorant who are attached to work. Instead by performing work with devotion, one should inspire others to do likewise.

All actions are being performed in every way by the guṇas within material nature. One whose mind is deluded by the sense of individuality, thinks, ‘I am the doer.’

But he who knows the truth, O mighty armed one, sees the difference between the guṇas and action. He recognises how they act on one another and, through this awareness, he remains unattached.

Those who are deluded by the guṇas within material nature, are attached to the actions produced by them. However, one of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the ignorant who do not see the whole truth.

Dedicating all your actions to Me, with a mind centred in the Self, free from desire and selfishness, with your emotions held in balance, you should engage in battle.

Those people who have faith, who are free from envy and always practise this teaching of Mine, will be released from karma.

But those who disregard My teaching and those who do not practise it — know them to be seriously deluded, devoid of reasoning, and therefore lost.

Everyone follows their nature, even an enlightened person, so what will repressing it do?

Desire and aversion arise when the senses rest in the objects they perceive. One should not allow oneself to come under their sway, as they are obstacles on the spiritual path.

It is better to carry out one’s own duty incorrectly, than it is to carry out the duty of another perfectly. Death is better in one’s own duty, for the duty of another is filled with danger.

Arjuna says:
But what is it, Kṛṣṇa, that causes one to stray even against one’s own will, as if compelled by some force?

Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
It is the desire born of the guṇa of rajas and the resulting anger. That is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of the world.

Just as a fire is enveloped by smoke, a mirror is covered by dust, and an embryo by the amnion, so is this world enveloped by desire.

O Arjuna, knowledge is veiled by desire, and desire is therefore the great enemy of the wise. Desire burns like an insatiable fire.

The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be desire’s abode. Through these, desire deludes the embodied Self by concealing Its wisdom.

Therefore, O Arjuna, you should control the senses first, and slay this source of sin that destroys both knowledge and discrimination.

The senses are superior to matter, the mind is superior to the senses, the intellect is higher than the mind, and the Self is even greater than the intellect.

O Arjuna, knowing that which is greater than the intellect and steadying yourself by your spiritual strength, slay this enemy in the form of desire, which is difficult to overcome.