Chapter 4, Verse 19
Part of 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog — ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोगयस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः। ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः॥
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ
He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and selfish purposes, and whose actions have been burned by the fire of knowledge, the wise call him a sage.
A sage performs actions only with a view to set an example to the masses. Though he works, he does nothing as he has no selfish interests, as his actions are burnt by the fire of wisdom which consists in the realisaion of inaction in action, through the knowledge of the Self or BrahmaJnana. BrahmaJnana is a mighty spiritual fire which consumes the results of all kinds of actions (Karmas), good and bad, and makes the enlightened sage ite free from the bonds of action. The sage who leads a life of perfect renunciation does only what is reired for the bare existence of his body. (Cf. III.19IV.10IV.37).