Explaining why everyone doesn’t know him and attain him, Krishna points to his reciprocal nature. He rewards people in proportion to their surrender — and everyone is on the path of surrendering to him, directly or indirectly (04.11). As an example of those whose inadequate knowledge misdirects their surrender, Krishna mentions people who worship the gods: such people seek and get quick results for their worldly actions (04.12). To provide an inclusive framework for everyone to come to him, even if gradually, Krishna creates the socio-occupational system of varnashrama, which provides everyone a place to act responsibly according to their level. While Krishna puts the system in place, he doesn’t determine people’s place in that system; their own karma does (04.13). Conveying that he has no reason to discriminate for or against anyone, Krishna underscores that he has no worldly desires and is therefore not bound by action; those who understand his divine position feel inspired to surrender to him, thereby attaining liberation (04.14). With this understanding, past seekers of liberation performed their duties — following in their footsteps, Arjuna too should do his duty of fighting (04.15). 

Reassuring Arjuna that his present confusion about duty is not unusual, Krishna states that even the wise get confused in determining which action will lead to liberation and which won’t — therefore, he will speak about right action — and this knowledge will free Arjuna from all inauspiciousness (04.16). Reiterating that determining the right course of action is difficult, Krishna begins by classifying action into three categories: auspicious action, inauspicious action and inaction (04.17). Providing an example of the counterintuitive nature of right action, Krishna states that action may lead one not to karmic reaction, but to freedom from all reactions. In contrast, inaction may lead one not to freedom from karmic reactions, but to incrimination in karmic reactions. Those who understand this are wise and can stay unentangled even when engaged in various duties (04.18). Describing such wise people in the next six verses (04.19-24), Krishna states that their endeavors are free from selfish desires, and the reactions to their actions are burnt by the fire of spiritual knowledge (04.19). They give up attachment to the fruits of their work, and are always self-satisfied and non-dependents of externals, thereby incurring no reactions to their actions (04.20).