Karmaṇo gatiḥ, the path of karma, is very intricate. Therefore one should understand what is actually karma and what is akarma and what is vikarma. And knowing this, one should perform karma. But one thing is that if we simply engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then everything becomes clear. Otherwise, we have to make discrimination, "What I should do, what I should not do, so that I may not be entangled."
Just like in ordinary life we, whatever we do, we sometimes, we may unconsciously doing something which is against the law, and therefore we become bound up by the laws of the state, and sometimes we are in trouble. So similarly, in the laws of nature also, the laws of nature is very strict. There is no excuse. The laws of nature is very stringent. Just like the fire. Fire, it burns. That is natural. This is the law of nature. So even a child touches fire, the fire does not excuse that, "Because it is child, oh, his hand may be . . . may not be burned." No. That is not possible. So we have to make our work very cautiously. We have to select our work very cautiously. Otherwise, the stringent laws of nature will react, and we shall be bound by the laws of material nature and suffer.
The Lord says that karmaṇo hy api boddhavyam. One should understand how to work and one should understand what is not to be done. Akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyam. Karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ. Karma, akarma and vikarma. There are three things. Karma means prescribed duties. Prescribed duties. That is called karma. And akarma . . . vikarma means doing against the prescribed duties. That is called vikarma. And akarma means something doing which has no reaction. That is not . . . of course, in the execution of such work, it appears to be working, but practically it has no reaction. That is vikarma. And that vikarma is when we act on account of the Supreme. That is when we . . . Kṛṣṇa-karma-kṛt. When we work under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that has no reaction. Otherwise, karma, one should do prescribed duties, and one should not do which is not prescribed.
For example, for example, just like the state. The state has got some laws. Now, suppose if you commit murder, it will be hang . . . you will be hanged. That is the state law. So if you again, against the state law you commit some murder, you will be hanged. This is vikarma, and I should be cautious. But when the state orders, itself that, "You go and fight. Kill the enemy," that is neither karma nor vikarma. So similarly, when we act under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that is akarma. That means that karma, that kind of activities, has no reaction. Otherwise, we shall have to act very cautiously so that I may not be entangled with the reaction of my karma.