Verse 12.9

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 12.9:

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यास-योगेन ततो माम् इच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥ ९ ॥

atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram |
abhyāsa-yogena tato mām icchāptuṃ dhanañjaya || 9 ||

atha–and if; cittam–the mind; samādhātum–to fix; na śaknoṣi–you are unable; mayi–on Me; sthiram–steadily; abhyāsa-yogena–through the practice of yoga; tataḥ–then; mām–Me; icchā–intense eagerness; āptum–to attain; dhanañjaya–O winner of wealth (Arjuna).

O Dhanañjaya, if you are unable to fix your mind steadily on Me, then develop an eagerness to attain Me by practice (abhyāsa-yoga).

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

For those who cannot directly remember Him, Śrī Bhagavān explains the means whereby such remembrance can be achieved. He says, “By repeatedly controlling the mind, which darts from one place to another, one should practise concentrating it exclusively on My form. This is yoga. One should gradually fix the mind’s course on My most beautiful form, qualities and so forth by the practice of completely checking the mind, which flows like a river towards abominable mundane sense objects such as form and taste.”

The present verse emphasizes the word Dhanañjaya. Just as Arjuna has accumulated great dhana (wealth) by conquering many enemies, in the same way, he is also able to achieve the wealth of dhyāna (meditation on Bhagavān) by conquering and controlling his mind.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In the previous verse, Śrī Bhagavān instructed everyone to become one-pointed in devotion to Him by fixing the mind and intelligence on Him. Thus, the following question may be raised: just as the Gaṅgā flows towards the ocean, those whose mind is always running with great speed towards Śrī Bhagavān can very quickly attain Him; of this there is no doubt. By what means, however, can Bhagavān be achieved by those who are not strongly inclined to Him? In response, Śrī Bhagavān has given a second option. “Those who are unable to firmly and steadily fix their mind on Me by the previously stated means should try to achieve Me by practice, or abhyāsa-yoga. This means that they should try to fix the mind on Me by gradually curbing the tendency of the mind to be attracted to various sense objects. Such endeavour is called abhyāsa-yoga. By this the mind slowly becomes attached to Me, after which it becomes easy to attain Me.”

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes Kṛṣṇa as saying, “That previously mentioned pure love, which is free from all motivation, is the eternal function of a mind devoted to Me. To achieve this requires constant practice. If you are unable to steadily fix your mind on Me, then it is better for you to engage in abhyāsa-yoga.”