Devanagari
सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बाला: प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिता: ।
एकमप्यास्थित: सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम् ॥ ४ ॥
Verse text
sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ
pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ
ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag
ubhayor vindate phalam
Synonyms
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.
Translation
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.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
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.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
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.
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.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
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.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
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.
Surrender Unto Me
'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.