As Arjuna listened intently, Krishna continued to reveal profound truths of the path. He explained that those who are attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are swept away by such desires, cannot cultivate the steadfast, resolute intellect necessary for true concentration. Their minds are scattered, unable to rest in the higher pursuit. “The Vedas,” Krishna said, “concern themselves with the play of the three modes of nature—goodness, passion, and ignorance. But you, Arjuna, must strive to rise above these modes. Be free from dualities, ever steadfast in purity, unconcerned with gain or loss, and firmly established in the Self.” He likened the wisdom of a knower—a true Brahmin—to a great flood that renders the use of a small well unnecessary; for one who knows the Self, the purposes served by the Vedas are already fulfilled. Krishna then spoke of action: “You have the right only to your actions, never to the fruits that result. Let not your motive be the outcome, nor should you fall into inaction. Perform your duties established in yoga, O Dhananjaya, abandoning attachment, and remaining equal in success and failure. This equanimity is yoga.” He emphasized that action performed with wisdom is far superior to action done with selfish motives. “Seek refuge in wisdom, for those who act only for results are miserable. One endowed with wisdom casts off both good and evil deeds in this world. Therefore, devote yourself to yoga, for yoga is skill in action. The wise, united with wisdom and having abandoned attachment to the fruits of action, are freed from the bondage of birth and reach the state beyond suffering.” Krishna described the journey of the intellect: “When your understanding crosses the dense forest of delusion, you will become indifferent to what is yet to be heard and what has already been heard. When your intellect, no longer confused by conflicting teachings, stands firm and unmoving in meditation, then you will have attained yoga.” At this, Arjuna, eager to understand, asked, “O Keshava, how does one whose understanding is steady, who is established in concentration, act? How does such a person speak, sit, and walk?” The Blessed Lord replied, “When a person gives up all desires arising in the mind and is content in the Self by the Self alone, he is said to have steady understanding. One whose mind is unshaken by sorrow, who has lost all craving for pleasure, and is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is a sage of steady mind. He who is unattached everywhere, who neither rejoices nor hates upon encountering good or evil, has wisdom firmly established.” Krishna continued, “When, like a tortoise withdrawing its limbs, a person withdraws the senses from sense objects, then his wisdom is firmly established. The sense objects may withdraw from such a person who abstains, but the taste for them lingers; even this taste disappears upon realizing the Supreme. Yet, O son of Kunti, the turbulent senses can violently carry away the mind, even of a wise person who is striving.” He advised, “Having restrained all the senses, one should sit steadfast, intent on Me; for he whose senses are under control, his wisdom is firmly established. When a person dwells on sense objects, attachment arises; from attachment, desire is born; from desire comes anger. Anger leads to delusion, from delusion comes loss of memory, from loss of memory comes the destruction of intelligence, and with the destruction of intelligence, one perishes.” “But,” Krishna said, “one who moves among sense objects with the senses under control, free from attachment and aversion, and with mastery over the self, attains tranquility. In tranquility, all suffering ceases, and the mind quickly becomes steady. For one who is unsteady, there is no wisdom, nor contemplation; without contemplation, there is no peace; and without peace, how can there be happiness?” He warned, “When the mind follows the wandering senses, it sweeps away one's understanding, just as the wind carries away a boat on the water. Therefore, O mighty-armed, he whose senses are completely restrained from their objects, his wisdom is firmly established.” Krishna then described the state of the wise: “That which is night for all beings, the disciplined one is awake to; that in which beings are awake is night for the sage who truly sees. Just as rivers flow into the ocean, which remains unmoved, so too all desires enter one who is unmoved—he attains peace, not the one who is filled with longing. Whoever abandons all desires, moves without craving, free from possessiveness and ego, attains peace. This is the state of Brahman, O Partha; having reached it, one is not deluded. Established in this state, even at the end of life, one attains Brahman-nirvana.” At this, Arjuna raised a question: “O Janardana, if you consider knowledge superior to action, why do you urge me toward this dreadful action? Your words seem to confuse me, as if they are contradictory. Please tell me decisively that by which I may attain the highest good.” Krishna replied, “O sinless one, in this world I have taught a twofold path: the path of knowledge for the Sankhyas, and the path of action for the Yogis. Not by abstaining from action does one attain freedom; nor by renunciation alone does one reach perfection. Indeed, no one can remain even for a moment without performing action; all are compelled to act by the qualities born of nature.” He warned, “One who restrains the organs of action but mentally dwells on sense objects is deluded and called a hypocrite. But whoever, controlling the senses with the mind, undertakes action through the organs of action, unattached, excels.” Krishna concluded, “Perform your prescribed duties, for action is superior to inaction. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible without action. Except for actions done in the spirit of sacrifice, all actions bind. Therefore, O son of Kunti, act for the sake of sacrifice, free from attachment. In the beginning, the Creator, having created beings together with sacrifice, said: ‘By this you shall prosper; let this be the fulfiller of your desires.’ Nourish the gods with sacrifice, and may the gods nourish you; thus, supporting one another, you shall attain the highest good.