Acharya Prashant explains that Shri Krishna redefines the term 'Pandit' and the nature of action in the Bhagavad Gita. He distinguishes between 'Kriya' (mechanical action) and 'Karma' (conscious action). Kriya is action performed by entities that lack a sense of 'I', such as a pen or a machine, where the doer is external and there is no claim of agency. In contrast, human actions are often driven by the ego. He categorizes individuals into three levels: the 'Akarmi' (one who does not claim to act), the 'Sakami' (one who acts with desire and ego), and the 'Nishkami' (one who acts without personal desire). He notes that Shri Krishna considers the Sakami and Akarmi to be essentially the same because both are driven by external forces—nature, society, or biological impulses—despite the Sakami's false claim of being the doer. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that a true 'Pandit' or 'Jnani' (wise person) is one whose actions are free from the resolve of desire. Such a person does not necessarily stop acting; rather, their actions are no longer for the sake of the ego. This state naturally results in compassion, which is not a forced moral duty but a spontaneous expression of a desireless state. He clarifies that true religion is not about following social or moral codes, but is a 'treatment' for the restlessness of consciousness. A wise person cannot be identified by external patterns or traits because they are free from the 'grooves' of social and chemical conditioning. Ultimately, knowledge is described as a fire that purifies action by burning away the ego, and a true Pandit is like a mirror who reflects the truth to others without possessing a distinct identity of their own.
