Devanagari
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।
सेनयोरूभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥ १० ॥
Verse text
tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ
prahasann iva bhārata
senayor ubhayor madhye
viṣīdantam idaṁ vacaḥ
Synonyms
tam
—
unto him
;
uvāca
—
said
;
hṛṣīkeśaḥ
—
the master of the senses, Kṛṣṇa
;
prahasan
—
smiling
;
iva
—
like that
;
bhārata
—
O Dhṛtarāṣṭra, descendant of Bharata
;
senayoḥ
—
of the armies
;
ubhayoḥ
—
of both parties
;
madhye
—
between
;
viṣīdantam
—
unto the lamenting one
;
idam
—
the following
;
vacaḥ
—
words.
Translation
O descendant of Bharata, at that time Kṛṣṇa, smiling, in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
10. Hṛṣīkeśa, smiling slightly, spoke these words to the depressed Arjuna, in the midst of the two armies.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
10. Hṛṣikeśa, smiling slightly, spoke these words to the depressed Arjuna, in the midst of the two armies.
Purport
The talk was going on between intimate friends, namely the Hṛṣīkeśa and the Guḍākeśa. As friends, both of them were on the same level, but one of them voluntarily became a student of the other. Kṛṣṇa was smiling because a friend had chosen to become a disciple. As Lord of all, He is always in the superior position as the master of everyone, and yet the Lord agrees to be a friend, a son or a lover for a devotee who wants Him in such a role. But when He was accepted as the master, He at once assumed the role and talked with the disciple like the master – with gravity, as it is required. It appears that the talk between the master and the disciple was openly exchanged in the presence of both armies so that all were benefited. So the talks of Bhagavad-gītā are not for any particular person, society, or community, but they are for all, and friends or enemies are equally entitled to hear them.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
“You have shown such lack of judgment!” Laughing at him as a friend, Kṛṣṇa could put Arjuna in an ocean of embarrassment for his unworthy actions. However, because now Arjuna took the position of student, laughing would be improper. Thus Kṛṣṇa suppressed that laugh by closing His lips. Instead He slightly smiled (prahasann iva). The Lord of the senses (hṛṣīkeśa) was previously controlled by the words of Arjuna out of love for him (BG 1.24), and now He became the controller of Arjuna’s mind, again out of love, for the benefit of Arjuna. Arjuna’s dejection and Kṛṣṇa’s offering consolation to him were seen directly by both armies (senayor ubhayor madhye).
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
In this verse he speaks, revealing a hidden meaning.
Hṛṣikeśa, bhagavān, then spoke very deep words to the lamenting Arjuna. The instructions start in the next verse. He smiled at Arjuna as a friend, suggesting, “How has such thinking come upon such a person as you? I will make you sink in the ocean of embarrassment for having said such unsuitable words.” He made a very slight smile appear on his lower lip, because it would be improper to laugh at Arjuna, who had now become his disciple. That is indicated by the phrase prahasann iva.
This conversation took place in the midst of the two armies (senayor ubhayor madhe). Thus it is understood that the instructions by the Lord for the depressed Arjuna were witnessed by everyone.
Surrender Unto Me
The word used for "smiling" is "prahasan" (like smiling) because Krsna is smiling, is happy because His friend Arjuna is becoming His disciple. And His smile changes gradually to a very grave expression on His face because He is going to act not as Arjuna's friend but as His spiritual master. And the talks between the spiritual master and the disciple are very serious.
Therefore Krsna's like smile, "prahasan", is called "rasa sandhi" or "a meeting of two different rasas": the friendship rasa in this verse meets with parental rasa where Krsna acts like a guru which is similar as a father. Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "It appears that the talk between the maste the disciple was openly exchanged in the presence of both a so that all were benefitted. So the talks of Bhagavad‑gita are not for any particular person, society, or community, but they are for all, and friends or enemies are equally entitled to hear them."
Now Krsna is going to give His instructions are they are not just meant for Arjuna ‑ they are meant for everyone!
[ B ‑ JNANA ‑ FIGHT! THERE IS NO DEATH FOR THE SOUL (2.11‑30)
1‑ Death is the eternal soul changing from one body to another; therefore, since no soul can die, Arjuna would not be killing. (11‑13, 16‑25) ]