Lord Krishna
Divine TeacherThe Supreme Lord, the charioteer and divine guide of Arjuna. Krishna delivers the eternal wisdom of the Gita, revealing the nature of the soul, duty, and the path to liberation.
Speaking: Chapter 12, Verse 9
Verse 9
The Yoga of Devotion
If you cannot fix your mind steadily on Me, then seek to reach Me through the practice of repeated effort, O Arjuna.
Context & Meaning
Recognizing that not everyone can immediately achieve one-pointed concentration, Krishna descends to meet the practitioner where they are. If immediate absorption is not possible, then abhyāsa — disciplined, repeated practice — is the path. Abhyāsa is the yoga of again and again: the mind wanders, you bring it back; it wanders, you bring it back. No frustration, no judgment — just patient, steady repetition. This verse is deeply compassionate; it acknowledges the reality of the struggling seeker without abandoning them.
Scholar Commentaries
1 commentary · Public domainAdi Shankaracharya
AdvaitaKrishna here begins a graduated path for those who cannot immediately achieve the highest. Abhyāsa-yoga — the yoga of practice — is the systematic training of the mind through repetition. It is not inferior to the highest bhakti but is the path that leads to it. The student who practices faithfully arrives at the same destination.