Bhagavad Gita



ನಹಿ ಕಶ್ಚಿತ್ ಕ್ಷಣಮಪಿ ಜಾತು ತಿಷ್ಠತ್ಯಕರ್ಮಕೃತ್ ।
ಕಾರ್ಯತೇ ಹ್ಯವಶಃ ಕರ್ಮ ಸರ್ವಃ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಜೈರ್ಗುಣೈಃ॥೫॥
nahi kaścit kṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt |
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ||5||

Gist of the sloka:
No one [alive] can be without some form of action even for a single moment. Everyone without being fully aware of the power of prakruthi [being subordinate to Lord] will be doing karmas.
Explanation:
Mere avoiding karmas, would not provide for mukthi. Even more so, it’s impossible to avoid karmas. Our gross body [1st layer Anna maya sharira/body] and internal body [2nd layer prana maya sharira/body] can never be still. 1st layer needs various body organs to be functioning including blood supply, heart, mind [ever thinking] etc., and we need the 2nd layer to breathe to be alive. This continues even during unconscious state either induced [anesthesia] or naturally occurring. Karmas continues to happen without our knowledge. These are not in control of the soul but rather under the control of the Lord, who originally gave us the body. He owns it and controls it.
The entire universe is created of gross materials by prakruthi. The original ingredients being sattva, rajas and tamas. The body consisting of the 5 gross elements derived from these 3 primaries, responds to the 3 gunas actions, all the time. Therefore, non-action is meaningless.
While doing these actions, we should involve our mind, always on alert in the quest for truth and knowledge. We have to involve ourselves in action as per the universal plan and not be a hindrance to the Lord’s plan. Therefore, action with the right knowledge is the correct path.