Karma

Karma means action and karma-phala means the result of the actions (the 'karma' in English likely refers to the result rather than the action).

These two terms together mean 'causality' (the principle that everything has a cause and actions have results.

Let's review some of the most relevant verses about karma.

You can't, at any moment, remain without taking some kind of actions.

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥३:५॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
One cannot remain without action at any moment, indeed not at all. Indeed, everyone born of the nature do some kind of action spontaneously (without their control) due to the inherent characteristics of the nature they are born of.

No one with a body can abandon actions completely.

न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः ।
यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते ॥१८:११॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
Indeed, anyobe carrying a body cannot abandon the actions completely. But who abandons the result of work, he is considered a renouncer.

You only have rights to actions, not to the results.

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥२:४७॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
You only have rights to actions or righteous duties, never in the fruits of those actions. Your existence is neither for fruits of actions, nor should it be for associated inactions.

There are no obligations for me in this world. There are nothing to be obtained, or unobtainable therof, for me.

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥३:२२॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
There is not any obligation for me, O Paartha (Arjun), in the three worlds. Also, I have nothing to obtain or there is really anything unobtainable to me, but I am always in action.

If I don't do anything, the humans will follow me (and stop working).

यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥३:२३॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
If ever, O Paartha (Arjun), I am not engaged carefully in actions, the humans will indeed follow my path entirely.

I created the four varnas (divisions) based on their innate (natural) actions, but know me as a non-doer.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥४:१३॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
Four divisions were created by me according to the characteristics and actions of them as the doers. Know me as the inexhaustible non-doer, though.

I do not taint the (peoples') actions, nor do I aspire to the fruits (results) of actions.

न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा ।
इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥४:१४॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
I do not taint the actions, nor do I have aspirations for fruits of actions. So, he who knows me by actions, is not bonded.

Renunciation of the fruits of action is superior to knowledge, practice and meditation.

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥१२:१२॥

Lord Krishna says to Arjun:
Knowledge is indeed better than the practice; meditation excels than knowledge; Renunciation of results of actions in better than meditation; the peace afterward is better than renunciation.