Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 8

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः | शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ||

niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ

Perform your obligatory duty, because action is indeed better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your physical body cannot be accomplished without action.

Krishna makes a simple argument: total inaction is impossible. Even breathing and eating require action. Since action is unavoidable, the question isn't whether to act but how. Performing your niyata karma (prescribed duty) with awareness is better than pretending you can renounce everything. This verse grounds the teaching in biology—your body itself demands action—preparing for the next teaching about making action sacred through sacrifice.