3:1: Arjuna said: O Janardana [Krsna: Worshiped by men], O Keshava [Krsna: the Long Haired], if intelligence is better than fruitive action why do You want to engage me in ghastly warfare?
3:2: Due to Your apparently perplexing words, my intelligence is confused; therefore please tell me decisively how I may attain the highest.
It has been explained by the Lord in the first two chapters that material bodies are temporary constructs (of Saguna Brahman) housing the eternal soul (who is of Nirguna Brahman). As the materially encased living entities engage in various material activities they accumulate karma (reactions). These fruitive reactions keep the soul bound to material existence. This is because all actions performed in this dualistic world produce reactions. These reactions must be experienced and hence the living entity is seemingly progressively trapped in an unending cycle of birth, death and rebirth (Samsara). Sri Krsna further explained to Arjuna that the way to achieve release from Samsara (repeated births and deaths) is to renounce all material reactions. How is this possible since actions always cause reactions? He explains that only by devoting all fruitive reactions to God is it possible to escape the results of ones actions. This renunciation is accomplished by using the intellect. For this reason this system is known as both Buddhi Yoga (Yoga of Mental Control) and Karma Yoga (Yoga of Disciplined Action). Still Arjuna has many questions and so in this chapter Sri Krsna explains the fundamentals of this important yoga system more fully.
3:3: The Glorious One said: As I have previously explained, in this world O sinless one [Arjuna], there are two kinds of determined yogis: the jnana-yogins who seek union through knowledge of the categories of existence [i.e. via Sankhya philosophy] and those who seek unity through renounced actions [i.e. Karma Yoga].
3:4: Neither through action nor by abstinence from action does one achieve the state of naiskarmyam [inaction-in-action], nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.
3:5: Because no one, at any time -- even for a moment -- exists without performing some action. Everyone who is born of the qualities of material nature are helplessly forced to act.
This is the essential weakness of both Jnana Yoga and karma Yoga. Even though one might study all areas of physical and spiritual existence and attain all knowledge, even though one might seek to renounce all actions and all subsequent reaction, still once the eternal soul is materially embodied it is impossible to do nothing, to achieve no reactions. Therefore the Lord explains that it is impossible to avoid the accumulation of more karma. Neither knowledge nor right action can alter this essential fact and so neither of these systems alone can deliver the conditioned soul.
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