Chapter 12, Verse 9 (Bhagavad Gita 12.9)
Chapter 12: Bhakti Yog – The Yoga of Devotion
Sanskrit Shloka
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्।अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय
Transliteration
atha chittaṁ samādhātuṁ na śhaknoṣhi mayi sthiram abhyāsa-yogena tato mām ichchhāptuṁ dhanañjaya
Word Meanings
atha—if; chittam—mind; samādhātum—to fix; na śhaknoṣhi—(you) are unable; mayi—on me; sthiram—steadily; abhyāsa-yogena—by uniting with God through repeated practice; tataḥ—then; mām—me; ichchhā—desire; āptum—to attain; dhanañjaya—Arjun, the conqueror of wealth
Translation
If you are unable to fix your mind steadily upon Me, O Dhananjaya, then seek to reach Me through the yoga of constant practice.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, displays His infinite compassion by offering a graded path for the seeker. Recognizing the fluctuations of the human mind, Shri Krishna introduces 'Abhyasa Yoga,' or the yoga of constant practice, as a divine ladder toward His lotus feet. By repeatedly training the mind to return to the remembrance of Shri Krishna, one gradually purifies the consciousness and transcends worldly attachments. This instruction underscores that the Lord does not demand immediate perfection but values the sincere, persistent effort of the devotee. Through this disciplined practice, the soul eventually dissolves its ego and achieves the ultimate union with the eternal, blissful nature of Shri Krishna.