The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation

Krishna describes sattvic action through the example of Arjuna's situation. 'Yasya nāhaṅkṛto bhāvaḥ'—one whose nature (bhāvaḥ) is not ego-based (na ahaṅkṛtaḥ). 'Buddhir yasya na lipyate'—whose intellect (buddhiḥ) is not tainted (na lipyate) by attachment. 'Hatvāpi sa imāṁl lokān na hanti na nibadhyate'—even having killed (hatvā api) these beings (imāṁl lokān), does not kill (na hanti), nor is bound (na nibadhyate). This is the key teaching about sattvic action: when you act without ego and without attachment, you're not bound by the action. Arjuna's duty is to fight, but if he does it without ego and without attachment, he's not bound by the consequences. This is sattvic action: performing duty without ego-based nature and without tainted intellect. The action itself may seem the same (killing in battle), but the quality of the action (ego-less, unattached) determines whether it binds you.