Shree Krishna cautions Arjun that by merely engaging in severe austerities, one cannot progress on the spiritual path.
The yogis strive to conquer the mind through meditation because, while a trained mind is the best friend, an untrained mind can be the worst enemy for a spiritual aspirant. The mind then becomes tranquil, and meditation becomes the primary means of elevation. When work is done with devotion, it purifies the mind and enhances the spiritual realization. He reiterates that karm yog is a more practicable path than karm sanyas. Shree Krishna continues the comparative evaluation between karm yog (the practice of spirituality while performing worldly duties) and karm sanyas (the practice of spirituality in a renounced state) in this chapter.
