The Ladder of Practice
If you cannot fix your mind on Me, then seek to reach Me by the practice of yoga.
Krishna offers a hierarchy of practices for different capacities. Best is to fix the mind on God constantly. If this is difficult, practice meditation regularly. If that is too hard, dedicate all actions to God. If even that fails, simply renounce the fruits of action and find peace. This graduated teaching ensures everyone has an accessible entry point to spirituality, meeting practitioners at their level.
If you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.
This graduated approach shows Krishna as a skillful teacher—meeting students where they are and providing appropriate practices for each level.
Bhagavad Gita
Written about in
- What the Bhagavad Gita says about habit and discipline
The ranked fallback is the Gita's most usable passage on discipline. If you cannot hold the mind on God, practise; if you cannot practise, work for God; if not that, give up the fruits of what you do. Each rung is named as easier than the one above it.