Bhagavad Gita 6.26 · Krishna
Bring it back, again
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्॥
yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiramtatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet
Wherever the restless, wavering mind wanders off, draw it back from there, and bring it home to the Self.
What it means
Krishna accepts that the mind will wander. It's chanchala, restless, and asthira, unsteady. The practice isn't to stop it wandering. It's to notice where it went and bring it back. Again, and again, and again. Each return is the practice itself, not a failure.
The story
Even Arjuna, who could focus on a bird's eye during archery, struggles to hold his mind still now. Krishna reassures him. Wandering is normal. What matters is coming back.
In your life
Picture a dog walker who keeps calling the puppy back, never shouting, just patiently. That's how to treat your mind. Next time it wanders, smile and bring it back, kindly.
Every return is the practice.