Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 25

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत | कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ||

saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṁso yathā kurvanti bhārata kuryād vidvāṁs tathāsaktaś cikīrṣur loka-saṅgraham

As the ignorant act with attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the wise act, but without attachment, desiring the welfare of the world.

Krishna clarifies the key distinction: as the ignorant (avidvāṁsaḥ) act attached (saktāḥ) to results, the wise (vidvān) should act similarly (tathā—same effort) but unattached (asaktaḥ), desiring lok-sangraha (welfare of all). Same action, different motivation. The ignorant work for personal gain, tied to outcomes. The wise work for collective good, free from results. Both engage fully—but one is bound, the other liberated. This isn't about doing less; it's about holding lighter.