In the very opening stanza, Arjuna takes up the discussion where it was left in the previous chapter and gives it a definite push forward, making Krishna expound exhaustively the most profitable and dynamic way of spiritual life, clearly distinguishing it from the unprofitable and self-dissipating channels of misconceived spiritual endeavours.

SETTING ASIDE THE ORDINANCES OF THE SHASTRA — The injunctions of scriptural texts are not generally available for all people, and even when they are made available, very few will have the intellectual capacity to understand them. In the excitement of life’s activities around, and the confusions and anxieties within, very few of us can hope to plan the “paths” of our life according to the Shastra-provided blue-print. But a sincere seeker might have a great ‘faith’ in the Higher way-of-life and a deep devotion to the ideals preached and propounded generally by all the scriptures of the world. Hence this question.

PERFORM ACTIONS (Yajantah) — The term (Yajna) used here need not be understood as indicating the Vedic sacrifices and ritualistic performances only. The Geeta is quite a complete scripture, and as such, it has its own definitions of terms. The term Yajna has been earlier (in Chapter III) defined to include all selfless co-operative endeavours of every individual in a society, undertaken to bring forth to manifestation, the latent wealth and prosperity that are in that community. Therefore, all acts done by an individual during his life, in a spirit of selfless dedication to the general well-being can come under this term. Without knowing the serene harmony that throbs behind life, can one, who is striving hard in the world in a spirit of detachment and selflessness, hope to avoid agitations? What would be his condition (Nishtha)? And in a parenthetical clause Arjuna adds what he wants to know: “whether such actions of men fall under the category of ‘unactivity’ (Sattwa), or of ‘activity’ (Rajas), or of ‘inactivity’ (Tamas).”

Tu, but; of Krsna, ka, what; is the nistha, state; tesam, of those-whosoever they may be; ye, who; being anvitah, endued; sraddhaya, with faith, with the idea that there is something hereafter; yajante, adore gods and others; utsriya, by ignoring, setting aside; sastra-vidhim, the unjunctions of the scriptures, the injunctions of the Vedas and the Smrtis? Is the state of those who are such sattvam, sattva; aho, or; rajah, rajas; or tamah, tamas? This is what is meant: Does the adoration of gods and others that they undertake come under the category of sattva or rajas or tamas? By ‘those who, endued with faith, adore by ignoring the injunctions of the scriptures’ are here meant those who, not finding any injunction which can be characterized as ‘enjoined by the Vedas’ ‘or enjoined by the Smrtis’, worship gods and others by merely observing the conduct of their elders. But, on the other hand, those who, though aware of some scriptural injunction, discard them and worship the gods and others in ways contrary to the injunctions, are not meant here by ‘those who, ignoring scriptural injunctions, adore…’ Why? Because of the qualifying phrase, ‘being endued with faith’. For, it cannot be imagined that even when they are aware of some scriptural injunction about worship of gods and others, they discard this out of their faithlessness, and yet they engage in the worship of gods and others enjoined by those scriptures by becoming imbued with faith! Therefore, by ‘those who, endued with faith, adore by ignoring the injunctions of the scriptures’ are here meant those very ones mentioned earlier. An answer to this question relating to a general topic cannot be given without splitting it up. Hence,-