BHAGAVAD-GITA 5:4

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 5:4

 

sankhya-yogau prthag balah

pravadanti na panditah

ekam apy asthitah samyag

ubhayor vindate phalam

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

sankhya--analytical study of the material world; yogau--work in

devotional service; prthak--different; balah--the less intelligent;

pravadanti--say; na--never; panditah--the learned; ekam--in one;

api--even; asthitah--being situated; samyak--complete; ubhayoh--of

both; vindate--enjoys; phalam--the result.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being

different from the analytical study of the material world [sankhya].

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 Visnu, 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 Sankhya philosophy finds the

root of the material world, Visnu, 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

Visnu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of

Sankhya and karma-yoga are not the same, but one who is learned knows

the unifying aim in these different processes.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.