Arjuna is confused by the instructions in the second chapter. Kṛṣṇa had praised ‘buddhi-yoga’, or the use of spiritual intelligence, while criticizing those who work only for material results. Arjuna mistakenly interprets this as an endorsement of inactivity or silent meditation. He asks, “If You consider intelligence superior to work, why do You want me to engage in this ghastly warfare?” Arjuna thinks that if the goal is spiritual enlightenment, he should retire to a forest, not fight a bloody war. He views ‘work’ and ‘knowledge’ as mutually exclusive. This question highlights a common misunderstanding: that spirituality means giving up the world. Arjuna is looking for an excuse to avoid his difficult duty. This sets the stage for Kṛṣṇa to explain the true science of Karma-yoga—how to perform one’s work as a spiritual practice.