अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति ॥ १६ ॥
evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ .
aghāyurindriyārāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati .. 16 ..
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He who ought to perform action, but who, indulging in sensual pleasures, does not follow the wheel of the world thus set revolving by Īśvara on the basis of the Veda and sacrifices, * he lives in vain.
i.e., he who does not follow the wheel by studying the Vedas and performing the sacrifices therein enjoined, as commanded by Isvara.
The main drift, therefore, of this section (iii. 4. 16) is that action should be performed by the ignorant man, for whom it is intended. In iii. 4-8, it was taught that till he attains the qualification for Devotion to the knowledge of the Self, the man who knows not the Self and is therefore qualified (for action only) should resort to Devotion to action as a means of attaining Devotion to knowledge; and, further, there were incidentally propounded (in iii. 9-16) many reasons why the man who knows not the Self and is (therefore) qualified for action should perform it. Mention, too, has been made of evils arising from a neglect of action.
Karma-Yoga is not meant for the Self-knower.
Now, the Lord Himself supposes Arjuna to ask the following question: Is the wheel, thus set in motion, to be followed by all, or by him only who has not yet attained to devotion in the path of knowledge which the Sāṅkhyas or Self-knowers tread and which is attainable by the ignorant by means of devotion in the path of action already described? In answer to this question, or with a view to afford, of his own accord, a clear understanding of the teaching of the sastra, He proceeds to show that what is intended to be taught in the Gītā-śāstra is the same truth that is embodied in the following passage of the sruti:
The Brâhmanas (the devotees of the Brahman, the Self), knowing this, the Self, and free from illusory knowledge, shake off all desires of progeny, etc., cherished, of necessity, by those who are still subject to illusion; and they lead a mendicant life for the barest necessaries of life. They have nothing else to do than resort to devotion to Self-knowledge." (Bri. Up. 3-5-1).