Bhagavad Gita BG 5.4
Chapter 5, Verse 4 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः । एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यग् उभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥
sankhya-yogau prthag balah pravadanti na panditah ekam apy asthitah samyag ubhayor vindate phalam
Meaning
Only the childish, not the wise, speak of Sankhya (knowledge/renunciation) and Yoga (action) as different. One who is properly established in even one of them attains the fruit of both.
Understanding
Treating Sankhya and Yoga as opposing paths is a mark of bala (childishness, immaturity). The wise know both lead to the same liberation. Truly established (samyag asthitah) in either path, one gains the fruit of both. Why? Because perfect karma yoga naturally cultivates the same inner detachment as perfect sannyasa.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सांख्ययोगौ | sankhya-yogau | Sankhya (knowledge-path) and Yoga (action-path) |
| पृथक् | prthak | as separate, as different |
| बालाः | balah | children, the immature, the unwise |
| सम्यग् | samyag | properly, correctly, fully |
| आस्थितः | asthitah | established in, grounded in |
| प्रवदन्ति | pravadanti | proclaim / declare / say |
| न | na | not (the wise do not say they are separate) |
| पण्डिताः | paṇḍitāḥ | the learned / the wise |
| एकम् | ekam | one (even in one, if well-practised) |
| अपि | api | even / also |
| उभयोः | ubhayoḥ | of both (the fruit of both) |
| विन्दते | vindate | obtains / finds / enjoys |
| फलम् | phalam | the fruit / the result |