Two methods are indicated for turning an ordinary act into a divine action of dedication and worship. It can either be done “by the renunciation of the concept of agency in every action” or by “a consistent refusal to get dissipated by our unintelligent preoccupation with our anxieties for the fruits of our action.” The former is called the Sankhya method and the latter is called simple Karma Yoga.

The Sankhya technique is not available to everyone, since the “renunciation of agency” is not easy unless the practitioner is highly intellectual and has in himself a capacity to see the collective universe in action. Only when we see the total logic of things, can we really come to feel the insignificance of our individual ego in all our achievements in our successes.

Here, the Lord insists that only undeveloped, childish minds can find contradiction between these two methods, while wise men who have lived either of the paths will vouchsafe for the equal effectiveness of both of them. Whether we practise the renunciation of our agency-idea or live a life of detachment from the fruits of our actions, if, as seekers, we are consistently persevering in our chosen path, we shall come to the Goal, which is the same whether we follow the one or the other of the Paths.

HOW CAN A MAN OBTAIN THE RESULTS OF BOTH, BY THE RIGHT OBSERVANCE OF ONLY ONE?… THE ANSWER FOLLOWS:

Balah, the fools; na panditah, not the learned ones; pravadanti, speak of; sankhya-yogau, Sankhya [Sankhya, i.e. monasticism, is that which is suited for sankhya, Self-inquiry.] (the Path of Knowledge) and (Karma-)yoga; as prthak, different, having opposite and different results. The learned ones, the wise, however, admit one, unconflicting result. How? Any one who samyak, properly; asthitah, resorts to, i.e. follows; ekam api, even one, between the Path of Knowledge and (Karma-) yoga; vindate, gets; phalam, the result; ubhayoh, of both. For, the result of both is that Liberation itself. Therefore there is no conflict with regard to the result.

Objection: After beginning the topic with the words, ‘renunciation’ and ‘(Karma-) yoga’, how is it that the Lord speaks of the identity of the results of the path of Knowledge and (Karma-) yoga, which is beside the point?

Reply: This defect does not arise. Although the question was put by Arjuna merely with regard to renunciation and Karma-yoga, yet the Lord, without actually avoiding them, and by adding something special which was intended by Him, gave the answer by expressing them through other words, ‘Sankhya’ and ‘(Karma-) yoga’. Those very ‘renunciation and ‘Karma-yoga’, when they are (respectively) associated with Knowledge and such of Its means as equanimity etc., are meant by the words ‘Sankhya’ and ‘yoga’. This is the Lord’s veiw. Therefore there is no discussion out of the context. How can the result of both be attained by the proper performance of only one? The answer is: