FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 5.4

సాం‍ఖ్యయోగౌ పృథగ్బాలా: ప్రవదన్తి న పణ్డితా: । ఏకమప్యాస్థిత: సమ్యగుభయోర్విన్దతే ఫలమ్ ॥ ౪ ॥
sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ
[saankhya-yogau prithag baalaah]
pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ
[pravadanti na panditaah]
ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag
[ekam apy aasthitah samyag]
ubhayor vindate phalam
[ubhayor vindate phalam]
Word-for-word
sāṅkhya — analytical study of the material world yogau — work in devotional service pṛthak — different bālāḥ — the less intelligent pravadanti — say na — never paṇḍitāḥ — the learned ekam — in one api — even āsthitaḥ — being situated samyak — complete ubhayoḥ — of both vindate — enjoys phalam — the result .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ
sāṅkhya
analytical study of the material world
yogau
work in devotional service
pṛthak
different
bālāḥ
the less intelligent
pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ
pravadanti
say
na
never
paṇḍitāḥ
the learned
ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag
ekam
in one
api
even
āsthitaḥ
being situated
samyak
complete
ubhayor vindate phalam
ubhayoḥ
of both
vindate
enjoys
phalam
the result .
Important Words
  • bālāḥ — the less intelligent
    Literally 'children.' Not insult but diagnosis: the immature thinker categorizes prematurely. Sectarian rivalry over paths is a developmental stage; paṇḍitāḥ have outgrown it.
  • paṇḍitāḥ — the learned
    From the same root as paṇḍā, intelligence. In the Gītā, paṇḍita names not someone who has accumulated information but someone whose seeing has matured. The chapter will return to this word in verse 18.
  • ekam — in one
    Singular accusative. Kṛṣṇa's economy is striking: applying yourself well to one path yields the fruits of both. The implication is do not switch lanes mid-river. Mastery of one path is preferred over dilettante sampling of many.
  • samyak — complete
    'Properly, thoroughly.' The qualifier is doing serious work. Half-hearted practice of either path yields half the fruit. The convergence at the top is real only for the practitioner who has actually climbed.
  • ubhayoḥ — of both
    Dual genitive. The fruit of both paths flows to the serious practitioner of either — which means a karma-yogī receives the jñāna-fruit too, and a sāṅkhya-yogī the karma-fruit. This anticipates the synthesis Kṛṣṇa will build through the next chapters.
Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.
Purport

The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Viṣṇu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One process is to find the root of the tree, and the other is to water the root. The real student of Sāṅkhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Viṣṇu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference between the two because the aim of both is Viṣṇu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of Sāṅkhya and karma-yoga are not the same, but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these different processes.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
4. The ignorant speak of jṣāna and karma-yoga as different, but the wise do not. Performing one of these completely, one attains the results of both.
Commentary

Your statement about which is the better of the two does not actually apply, because intelligent people do not see any difference between the two. The word sāṅkhya refers to being fixed in jṣāna. An aṅga (component) of that practice is sannyāsa. The fools, not the wise, speak of the difference between sannyāsa and karma-yoga. As the previous verse mentioned, “one should know the karma-yogī to be the real sannyāsī.” Thus, performing one of the two gives the result of both.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
4. The ignorant speak of jṣāna and karma yoga as different, not the wise. Performing one of these completely, one attains the result of both, seeing the ātmā.
Commentary

Asking which of the two is better does not arise. The fools, not the wise men, will say that karma yoga and jṣāna yoga are different because of having different fruits. Performing one, a person attains the result of both, seeing the ātmā.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

'Sankhya' or 'Jnana' or 'Karma‑sannyasi' (which means renouncing one's work). Krsna says here, that first of all, they are non‑different ‑ the renunciation of work (being situated in a renouced position) and analytical study of the material world. This sankhya is the work of one who has no material activity, no physical activity, who has taken this type of sannyasi. Krsna explains that karma‑yoga or work in detachment, only a ignorant speaks of that karma‑yoga or devotional service or work that is detached ‑ as being different from analytical study of the material world (sankhya). They are both the same. The question is: which is easier? And should one who has achieved jnana, should he continue working or not? Krsna explains that they are the same but 'niskama karma' is easier. Either jnana and sankhya are the same ‑ they both mean sannyasi, renunciation of work. And yoga and karma are the same ‑ they both mean work with the senses. Here is that same issue discussed again: should one renounce work and attain jnana or should one work with detachment? Krsna's answer is clear: "anyone who applies himself to one of those paths, achieves the result of anyone of those paths". The same point is repeated in the next Text.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

How are work and renunciation the same? If I am holding a rock in my hand and I want to pick up

my ax, I drop the rock to free my hand. Then I can pick up the ax. Similarly, someone with material

desires must first drop his material attachment before acquiring a spiritual taste.

However, these two steps can also be performed as one step. By picking up one object I will

automatically drop the other. Karma-yoga done with detachment allows us to become materially

detached and spiritually attached at the same time. This topic will now be further discussed.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
5.4 Balah, the fools; na panditah, not the learned ones; pravadanti, speak of; sankhya-yogau, Sankhya [Sankhya, i.e. monasticism, is that which is suited for sankhya, Self-iniry.] (the Path of Knowledge) and (Karma-)yoga; as prthak, different, having opposite and different results. The learned ones, the wise, however, admit one, unconflicting result. How? Any one who samyak, properly; asthitah, resorts to, i.e. follows; ekam api, even one, between the Path of Knowledge and (Karma-) yoga; vindate, gets; phalam, the result; ubhayoh, of both. For, the result of both is that Liberation itself. Therefore there is no conflict with regard to the result. Objection: After beginning the topic with the words, 'renunciation' and '(Karma-) yoga', how is it that the Lord speaks of the identity of the results of the path of Knowledge and (Karma-) yoga, which is beside the point? Reply: This defect does not arise. Although the estion was put by Arjuna merely with regard to renunciation and Karma-yoga, yet the Lord, without actually avoiding them, and by adding something special which was intended by Him, gave the answer by expressing them through other words, 'Sankhya' and '(Karma-) yoga'. Those very 'renunciation and 'Karma-yoga', when they are (respectively) associated with Knowledge and such of Its means as eanimity etc., are meant by the words 'Sankhya' and 'yoga'. This is the Lord's veiw. Therefore there is no discussion out of the context. How can the result of both be attained by the proper performance of only one? The answer is:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
5.4 Those who say that Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga are distinct because of the difference in results, are children, i.e., are persons with incomplete knowledge; they do not know the entire truth. The meaning is that they do not possess true knowledge, who say that Karma Yoga results in Jnana Yoga only and that Jnana Yoga alone results in the vision of the self and that the two are thus distinct because of the difference in their fruits. But on the contrary as both have only the vision of the self as the fruit, a person who is firmly set in one of them, wins that one fruit common to both. Sri Krsna further expounds the same:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
5.4 See Comment under 5.5
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
5.4 Children, not the wise, speak of knowledge and the Yoga of action or the performance of action as though they are distinct and different; he who is truly established in one obtains the fruits of both.
Commentary

5.4 सांख्ययोगौ Sankhya (knowledge) and Yoga (Yoga of action or performance of action)? पृथक् distinct? बालाः children? प्रवदन्ति speak? न not? पण्डिताः the wise? एकम् one? अपि even? आस्थितः established in? सम्यक् truly? उभयोः of both? विन्दते obtains? फलम् fruit.Commentary Children the ignorant people who have no knowledge of the Self? and who have only a theoretical knowledge of the scriptures.Children or ignorant people only say that knowledge and the performance of action are different and produce distinct and opposite results. But the wise who have the knowledge of the Self say that they produce the same result only? viz.? Moksha or liberation. He who is duly established in,one? he who truly lives in one? Sankhya or Yoga? obtains the fruits of both. Therefore there is no diversity in the result or the fruit. This is the gist of this verse. (Cf.VI.2)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
5.4 The fools, not the learned ones, speak of Sankhya (the path of Knowledge) and (Karma-) yoga as different. Any one who properly resorts to even one (of them) gets the result of both.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
5.4 Only the unenlightened speak of wisdom and right action as separate, not the wise. If any man knows one, he enjoys the fruit of both.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Prema (Divine Love)
Related verses
BG 5.5 BG 3.3 BG 13.25 SB 11.20.6 SB 11.20.7 SB 3.25.32 CC Madhya 19.167 CC Madhya 25.29 CC Ādi 7.145 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.22
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Only the ignorant call renunciation different from karma-yoga — those who know either correctly receive the fruits of both.
Practical Applications
  • Stop comparing your path to another's; their differences are surface, not substance.
  • Practice your path well, knowing it converges with all genuine paths.
  • Refuse sectarian rivalry over which yoga is 'highest.'
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I unnecessarily comparing paths?
  • What would deeper practice of my own path open up?
Analogy

Two rivers descending from the same mountain by different sides eventually meet the same ocean. The villager who insists his river is the only true one has not yet climbed high enough to see them both. Kṛṣṇa is taking Arjuna to the height from which the convergence is obvious.

Stories
Yājñavalkya and Maitreyī

When the sage Yājñavalkya prepared to leave home for the renounced life, he offered to divide his wealth between his two wives. Maitreyī refused her share. 'If the whole world were mine, would it make me immortal?' she asked.

Yājñavalkya answered her with the famous Bṛhad-āraṇyaka teaching that the self is what is to be heard, reflected upon, meditated on. The Bhāgavatam recasts that very inquiry in personal terms: the ātmā worth knowing is the Paramātmā, and that knowing flowers as loving service to Bhagavān (SB 2.2; 11.2).

The Gītā tradition reads the scene this way too. Maitreyī's renounced inquiry and Janaka's engaged kingship converge — not on an impersonal Absolute, but on the same Lord whom karma-yoga and sāṅkhya alike are meant to reach.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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