Thus this wheel is set in motion by the Supreme Person: From food arise embodied selves which are denoted by the word ‘beings’: from rain food; from sacrifice rain; sacrifice from activities which constitute the exercise of an agent; and activity from the embodied self; and again the body endowed with life from food. In this manner there is a sequence which revolves like a wheel through the mutual relations of cause and effect. Hence, he who is engaged in spiritual practice—whether one is qualified for Karma Yoga or Jñana Yoga—if he does not follow, i.e., does not keep in motion the wheel which revolves in a circle through mutual relation of cause and effect—that person by not maintaining his bodily subsistence by means of the ‘remainder of sacrifice’ lives in sin. His life begins in sin or develops in sin, or is of both these kinds; he lives the life of sin. Thus he is a reveller in his senses and not in his self. The senses become the pleasure-gardens of one whose mind and body are not nourished by the ‘remainders of sacrifices.’ Rajas and Tamas preponderate in his body. Being thus turned away from the vision of the self, he rejoices only in the enjoyment of the senses. Therefore, even if he were to attempt for the vision of the self, it will be fruitless. So he lives in vain, O Arjuna.

Shri Krishna now says that there is no need for the performance of the ‘great sacrifices’ etc., according to his station and stage of life, only in respect of a liberated person whose vision of the self does not depend on any external means.