In the last chapter Karma Yoga with all its ancillaries was taught. Now the requirements for the practice of Yoga or concentration consisting in the vision of the self, attainable both by Jñana Yoga and Karma Yoga, is taught. In the earlier chapter Karma Yoga as an autonomous means for the realisation of the self is established. Here Karma Yoga is again referred to for confirming this autonomous status by emphasising the involvement of Jñana in it as it is crowned with the vision of the self.

He who, without depending on such fruits of works as heaven, etc., performs them,reflecting, ‘The performance of works alone is my duty (Karya). Works themselves are my sole aim, because they are a form of worship of the Supreme Person who is our Friend in every way. There is nothing other than Him to be gained by them’—such a person is a Sannyasin, i.e., one devoted to Jñana Yoga, and also a Karma Yogin, i.e., one devoted to Karma Yoga. He is intent on both these, which is the means for attaining Yoga, which is of the nature of the vision of the self. ‘And not he who maintains no sacred fires and performs no works,’ i.e., not he who is disinclined to perform the enjoined works such as sacrifices, etc., nor he who is devoted to mere knowledge. The meaning is that such a person is devoted only to knowledge, whereas a person who is devoted to Karma Yoga has both knowledge and works.

Now Shri Krishna teaches that there is an element of knowledge in the Karma Yoga as defined above.