Importance of performing Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. Chapter 3. Text 1-8. Importance of performing prescribed duties.

Text 1-2 arjuna uvaca jyayasi cet karmanas te mata buddhir janardana tat kim karmani ghore mam niyojayasi kesava vyamisreneva vakyena buddhim mohayasiva me tad ekam vada niscitya yena sreyo 'ham apnuyam Arjuna said: “O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You urge me to engage in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work? My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively what is most beneficial for me. “

In text 2.49, Krsna advised Arjun to keep all the abominable actions away by Buddhi-Yoga. Arjuna buddhi-yoga, or intelligence in spiritual advancement of knowledge, as something like retirement from active life and the practice of penance and austerity at a secluded place. In other words, he wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Krsna consciousness as an excuse.

Text 3 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service. Buddhi-Yoga and Karma-Yoga interdependent just as religion and Philosophy. e.g. knowledge of watering the tree and actually watering the tree.

Text 4-5. “Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection. Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.” e.g. accepting sannyas – Vishwamitra Muni not with the purpose of Serving Krsna and failure.

Text 6-7. One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender. On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Krsna consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.

through abandoning duties. Text 8. Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one's physical body without work. Purification through working and not through abandoning duties.