Repeated practice builds devotion.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् |अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ||१२-९||
atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram . abhyāsayogena tato māmicchāptuṃ dhanañjaya ||12-9||
Use this verse when focus feels difficult.
Meaning
If you are unable to steadily fix your mind on Me, then seek to reach Me through the yoga of repeated practice, O Dhananjaya.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
If steady devotion is hard, start with repeated practice.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna gives a compassionate ladder. If the mind cannot remain fixed, do abhyasa: return again and again.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna takes the first compassionate step down. If you cannot hold the mind steadily upon Me (na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram), do not despair — turn to abhyāsa-yoga, the yoga of repeated, patient practice. The restless mind is not fixed in a moment; it is trained, like a skill, by drawing it back to God again and again until steadiness slowly grows.
The address "Dhanañjaya," winner of wealth, is a quiet encouragement: the one who could conquer kingdoms can also, by persistence, win the inner battle. Here lies a deeply practical teaching — spiritual life is not reserved for those born concentrated, but is built through honest, repeated effort over time.
In daily life
Return to Krishna daily, even briefly.
A person who cannot meditate long can chant for one minute daily.
Try this today
Choose a one-minute daily Krishna practice.
I return to Krishna through practice.Reflect
What small practice can I repeat consistently?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘abhyāsa-yogena’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on perseverance, in other chapters
- Verse 6.35The restless mind can be mastered through steady practice and the gradual letting-go of attachment.
- Verse 5.27Withdraw the senses, steady your gaze, and balance the breath — these simple disciplines quiet the mind for inner realization.
- Verse 8.10A serene and focused death is earned in life by ripening devotion and disciplined practice together, not separately.
- Verse 9.14A devoted life is built from constant small acts of remembrance and reverence, woven steadily into the whole of one's days.
Swipe left for 12.10 · Work for Krishna is also a path.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 12.9
Who says Bhagavad Gita 12.9, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 12.9, in Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga (Bhakti Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 12.9 mean?
If you are unable to steadily fix your mind on Me, then seek to reach Me through the yoga of repeated practice, O Dhananjaya. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 12.9 for daily life?
Return to Krishna daily, even briefly. A person who cannot meditate long can chant for one minute daily.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 12.9 mean?
atha — if, now; cittam — the mind, consciousness; samādhātum — to fix steadily, concentrate; na śaknoṣi — you are not able; mayi — on Me.
Where does verse 12.9 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 9 of 20 in Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga. The next verse is 12.10.