ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम् ।
सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ।। ३.३२ ।।

ye me matam-idaṁ nityam-anutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ |
śraddhāvanto’nasūyanto mucyante te’pi karmabhiḥ || 3.31 ||

ye tv-etad-abhyasūyanto nānutiṣṭhanti me matam |
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāṁs-tān-viddhi naṣṭān-acetasaḥ || 3.32 ||

Audio-BG-3.31

Audio-BG-3.32

Sanatana Dharma in its essence, is quite comprehensive. But in the functional level it is complex and varied. Our sastras also are endless. Being so, how can any seeker hope to know about Dharma in full and practise it ?

Krishna keeps the point in mind. While advising the pursuit of detachment and dis-identification, he emphasizes how this pursuit becomes a full dharma by itself, embodying as it does all the controls and refinement – moral, ethical and social – that mankind needs. So he assures Arjuna that the practice of asakti in its full depth, is itself dharma. For a yogic practitioner no other need is there in the field of dharma, to make him better and lead him to the ultimate goal. Those who adhere to this asakti with attention, awareness and reliance will irresistibly be liberated through all that they do. Arjuna, even this war will not be merely not binding, but it will be liberating too – so much is the greatness and effectiveness of this dharma, he says.

Note that Krishna uses the word "karmabhih" (tṛteeyā vibhakti) meaning by and through the actions. Actions as such cannot liberate a person. But it is the asakti – the asakta attitude with which the actions are performed – that liberates. To emphasize the importance of practising asakti, Krishna further warns:

Regard them as deluded in all ways, who fail to appreciate and adhere to this dharma. For them the whole life will be wasteful, however favoured and resourceful they may otherwise be.

Seekers are always indecisive about the value of spiritual or yogic pursuit. Once they earnestly take up spiritual seeking, it is not necessary to resort to other customary religious routines or practices. In fact, all the rest will become meaningful only when they lead man to the yogic pursuit, as defined in Gita. While embracing spirituality, the seekers do not do so in full measure and resignation. Most of them continue to cling to other rituals and ceremonies, partly by habit and partly by sheer lack of clarity and resolve. Krishna says that such a doubtful, unresolved stand is not correct. Spiritual pursuit and aim are themselves sufficient to enrich and fulfil the seeker. "Even a little practice of this dharma protects one from great fear (svalpam-apyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt)," he says in verse 2.40. Later in verse 6.44 also he affirms, "Seeker of Truth transcends even the Vedas (jijnasur-api yogasya śabda-brahmativartate)."

Making one's pursuit wholesome and all-inclusive is the most fundamental part of spiritual life.