The Lord tells us how to act and why?
God teaches us why we should not enjoy the fruit of action. There are three factors to consider: prescribed duty, independent action, and inaction.
Prescribed duties are those obligations that one must face as long as one is in the grip 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 heeding the instructions given to us by the Vedas, the original holy scriptures and the spiritual masters.
And inaction is refusing one's duty.
The Lord advises us 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 then enjoy or suffer their consequences.
The prescribed duties can be of three kinds: routine duties, emergency duties and purposeful occupations.
Routine duties will be performed according to the norms of the Vedas, the original holy scriptures, and without attachment to the fruits thereof. Because these are imposed duties, performing them is a matter of virtue.
On the other hand, action taken for its fruits leads to bondage, and is therefore to 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 therefore advises us to act out of duty, without being attached to the fruits of the action. Not wanting to engage in action or not wanting to act is another form of attachment. Good or bad, material attachments always cause bondage and can never help us to free ourselves from the material condition.
Inaction, on the other hand, is reprehensible. Therefore, the only way to salvation is to act as our duty requires. We are all eternal servants of Krishna, God, the Supreme Person. That is why our original, natural and eternal duty is to serve Him with love and devotion. We must stick to this.
The Lord says: Be firm in yoga. Do your duty without being bound by either success or failure. This equality of soul is called yoga.
Lord Krishna tells us to follow the path of yoga, but what is this yoga?
The word “yoga” means concentration on the Absolute (Krishna) through the control of the senses, which are usually constantly agitated. And this Absolute is the Supreme Lord, Krishna.
If the Lord asks us to act and thus to perform a particular work, we need not worry about the outcome of that test. Success, victory, is in the hands of God. We only have to follow His instructions. Following Krishna's instructions is true yoga, which finds its practical application in God consciousness or Krishna consciousness. It is the only way to give up the instinct to possess.