Bhagavad Gita 5.4
Spoken by Krishna · Verse 4 of 29
साङ्ख्ययोगौ पृथग् बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः। एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम्॥५-४॥
sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ | ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam || 5.4 ||
Only the immature see Sānkhya and Yoga as separate — the wise know one path, practiced rightly, yields both fruits.
Word by word (7)
- sāṅkhya-yogau
- — Sānkhya (knowledge-path) and Yoga (action-path)
- pṛthak
- — as separate / different
- bālāḥ
- — the childish / immature / uninformed
- pravadanti
- — declare / assert
- na paṇḍitāḥ
- — not the learned / not the wise
- ekam āsthitaḥ samyak
- — established properly in even one
- ubhayoḥ vindate phalam
- — finds the fruit of both
Only the uninformed (bālāḥ — literally 'children') declare Sānkhya (the path of knowledge and discrimination) and Yoga (the path of action) as separate and opposed. The truly learned know they are one. Practice either one rightly and you get the result of both.
A modern analogy
Two roads to the same summit — one through the east face, one through the west. Only someone who hasn't climbed either says they are 'completely different.' Those who reach the top know both ended at the same place.
What it does NOT mean
This is not saying all paths are superficially identical or that there are no distinctions. It is saying the ultimate fruit — liberation — is the same whether you arrive through the contemplative path (Sānkhya) or the active path (Yoga). The paths are distinct but not opposed.
Take with you
- Religious and philosophical arguments about 'which path is the true one' often reveal immaturity — the destination is the same.
- Go deep on one path rather than sampling all — 'established properly in even one' (ekam āsthitaḥ samyak) is the key phrase.
- The integration of wisdom and action is not a paradox to be resolved — it is a unity to be experienced.
Public-domain translations (6) compare all →
"It is the ignorant, not the wise, who speak of Sānkhya and Yoga as distinct. He who is rightly established in even one of them obtains the fruit of both." [1]
"It is the ignorant and not the wise who say that Sankhya (knowledge) and Yoga (action) are different; he who is truly established in one obtains the fruits of both." [4]
"The ignorant, not the wise, speak of Sankhya and Yoga as though they were distinct; he who is perfectly established in either, obtains the fruit of both." [5]
"That Sankhya and devotion are two different systems is the opinion of the ignorant, not of the wise; if a man perfectly follow either, he finds the fruit of both." [6]
"'Twas only ignorance which sundered them! The wise man knows Sankhya and Yoga are one; who well perceives by either way, finds both their fruits." [7]
"It is the unwise, not the wise, who say that Sankhya and devotion [to action] are different. One who follows either fully obtains the fruit of both." [9]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
What Sānkhya attains, Yoga reaches too — they are one. Who truly sees this truly sees.
Two paths: knowledge for the reflective, action for the active. Both lead to the same summit.
Whoever knows puruṣa and prakṛti with the guṇas — however they live — is never born again.
Acting for reward is the lowest form of action. Seek the wisdom that transcends reward-seeking.
Wise action without fruit-seeking breaks the birth-cycle and leads to the sorrowless state.
Actions don't taint Me — I have no longing for their fruits. Whoever knows Me thus is not bound by their actions.
Verse 4 of 29 · back to Chapter 5