Chapter 5, Verse 4 (Bhagavad Gita 5.4)
Chapter 5: Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Renunciation
Sanskrit Shloka
सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः। एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम्
Transliteration
sānkhya-yogau pṛithag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam
Word Meanings
sānkhya—renunciation of actions; yogau—karm yog; pṛithak—different; bālāḥ—the ignorant; pravadanti—say; na—never; paṇḍitāḥ—the learned; ekam—in one; api—even; āsthitaḥ—being situated; samyak—completely; ubhayoḥ—of both; vindate—achieve; phalam—the result
Translation
Only the unwise speak of knowledge (Sankhya) and the yoga of action (Karma Yoga) as being distinct; the wise know that they are one. He who is truly established in either path attains the fruit of both.
Meaning & Commentary
This sloka addresses the common human tendency to create duality where unity exists. It teaches that the path of renunciation (contemplative knowledge) and the path of dedicated action are not competing ideologies but two sides of the same coin of liberation. When action is performed without attachment, it naturally leads to the stillness of knowledge; conversely, true knowledge expresses itself through the selfless service of action. By mastering the spirit behind either approach, the seeker dissolves the ego, achieving the ultimate state of spiritual fulfillment. It serves as a reminder that the external path matters less than the internal alignment of the heart and mind.