And he who listens to it with faith, without envy, will free himself from the consequences of his sinful acts and will reach the planets where the virtuous live.

These are the reasons why the Lord advises us not to be attached to the fruits of action.

In truth, there are three factors to be considered here: prescribed duty, independent action, and inaction.

Prescribed duties correspond to the obligations one has to face as long as one is under the sway of the three gunas, the three attributes and modes of influence of material nature: virtue, passion and ignorance.

Independent actions are those that are performed without taking into account the instructions given to us by the Vedas, the original holy scriptures and the spiritual masters.

Inaction means refusing to do one's duty.

The Lord advises not to take the path of inaction, but rather to act according to one's duty without attachment to the results, for he who attaches himself to the fruits of action takes upon himself the responsibility for his actions and must therefore enjoy or suffer their consequences.

The prescribed duties can be of three kinds; routine duties, emergency duties and purposeful occupations.

Routine duties are to be performed according to the norms of the Vedas, and without attachment to the fruits thereof, because these are imposed duties, and to perform them is virtue.

Action done with a view to its fruits, on the other hand, leads to bondage, and must therefore be regarded as very harmful. Everyone has the right to fulfil his duty, but no one should ever act with a view to the results. To perform one's duties in a spirit of detachment is to take a sure step towards spiritual liberation.

The Lord advises us to act out of duty, without attachment to the fruits of action.

Not wanting to act or do one's duty is another form of attachment. Good or bad, material attachments are always a cause of bondage and can in no way help us to free ourselves from the material condition.

Inaction, on the other hand, is reprehensible. The only way to salvation is to act as one's duty requires.

Have you listened to everything with a perfectly vigilant mind?

Are your illusions, your ignorance, now dispelled?