The sattvic doer represents the ideal agent who acts from wisdom rather than ego. This equanimity toward success and failure enables consistent performance of duty without the emotional turbulence that typically accompanies action, exemplifying the "skill in action" Krishna advocates.

The rajasic doer portrays common human motivation—passionate pursuit of results, emotional reactivity, and self-interest. This creates an endless cycle of elation and disappointment, as the actor remains emotionally entangled with outcomes beyond their control.

The tamasic doer embodies the lowest quality of action—characterized by inconsistency, dishonesty, and procrastination. These qualities prevent effective action of any kind, spiritual or material, highlighting how tamas obstructs both worldly success and spiritual progress.

Sattvic intellect possesses discernment that transcends superficial appearances, recognizing both what promotes spiritual freedom and what causes bondage. This discriminative wisdom enables correct choices even in complex ethical situations, providing inner certainty amid outer confusion.

Rajasic intellect lacks clear discrimination between higher and lower values, often confusing social convention with eternal principles. This confusion leads to inconsistent ethical decisions, as the person follows expedient rather than principled approaches to life's challenges.

Tamasic intellect represents the complete inversion of values, mistaking harmful actions for beneficial ones. This isn't mere error but a fundamental distortion of perception that leads to destructive choices made with conviction, explaining how people can commit harmful acts believing they are right.