Under the influence of the three gunas (the three attributes of material nature: virtue, passion and ignorance), the soul led astray by the false ego (identification with the body and the desire to dominate matter and material nature) believes that it is the author of its acts, whereas in reality they are performed by nature.

He who knows the nature of the Absolute Truth (God or Krishna), is not preoccupied with the senses and their pleasure, for he knows the difference between the self-interested act and the act of love and devotion.

Confused by the three gunas, the ignorant person becomes absorbed in material activities, to which he becomes attached. But although, because of the poverty of knowledge of their author, these actions are of an inferior order, the wise man should not disturb the one who performs them.

Therefore, devoting all your actions to Me, absorbing your thoughts in Me, free from all indolence, selfishness and self-motivation, fight (fulfil My will).

He who fulfils his duty according to My instructions and follows this teaching with faith, without envy, he frees himself from the chains of karma. But those who, because they are envious, neglect to always apply My teachings, they are, know this, deluded, deprived of knowledge, doomed to ignorance and servitude. Even the wise man acts according to his own nature, for so it is with all beings. What is the point of repressing this nature?

Although they feel attraction and repulsion for sense objects, incarnate beings should not allow themselves to be dominated by the senses or their objects, for these are an obstacle to spiritual realisation.

It is better to perform one's own duty, even if imperfectly, than to assume the duty of another, even if it is to perform it perfectly. It is better to fail or die in fulfilling one's own duty than to do another's, which is a very perilous thing.

Arjuna asks the Lord.

O Lord Krishna, what is it that even against his will drives man to sin, as if he were forced to do so?

The blessed Lord says:

It is concupiscence alone. Born in contact with the Passion, then changed into anger, it is the devastating enemy of the world and the source of sin.

Just as smoke hides fire, just as dust covers the mirror and the womb envelops the embryo, so various degrees of concupiscence cover the being.

Thus the pure consciousness of being is veiled by its eternal enemy, concupiscence, insatiable and burning like fire.

It is in the senses, the mind and the intelligence that it lodges, this concupiscence that leads the being astray by stifling its true knowledge.

Therefore, begin by curbing the scourge of concupiscence, the very source of sin, by regulating your senses. Crush this devastator of knowledge and spiritual realisation.

The senses prevail over inert matter, but superior to the senses is the mind, and intelligence surpasses the mind. Even higher than intelligence, however, is the soul (which each of us actually is).

Knowing that you are thus beyond the material senses, mind and intelligence, master your lower nature by spiritual knowledge, and conquer that insatiable enemy, concupiscence.