Bhagavad Gita 2.10
Spoken by Sanjaya · Verse 10 of 72
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः॥
tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasann iva bhārata / senayoḥ ubhayor madhye viṣīdantam idaṃ vacaḥ
Into the silence, between two armies — Krishna smiles and begins to speak.
Word by word (5)
- tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ
- — to him spoke Hrishikesha (Krishna, master of the senses)
- prahasann iva
- — smiling as if / as though smiling · 'Prahasann iva' — smiling, or as if smiling. The 'iva' (as if) is interesting: Sanjaya is seeing something on Krishna's face that he can only approximate. The smile is not amusement. It is the recognition of a teacher who sees the student's confusion from a perspective of compassion and wisdom.
- bhārata
- — O Bharata — Dhritarashtra (descendent of Bharata)
- senayoḥ ubhayoḥ madhye
- — in the middle of both armies
- viṣīdantam
- — to the despondent one / to the one sinking in grief
Sanjaya said: 'And to that despondent one — in the middle of both armies — Hrishikesha spoke, smiling, these words, O Bharata.'
A modern analogy
The great teacher who, when their student is at the lowest point, does not panic, does not condescend, does not force — but smiles. The smile of one who has already seen how this ends. Not dismissal of the pain, but confidence that the teaching is adequate to it.
Take with you
- Krishna smiles — not because the situation is not serious, but because he knows the teaching will be sufficient.
- The setting: in the middle of both armies. The most public, most extreme context. The teaching is given precisely here, not in a quiet space.
- The smile before speaking is the teacher's signal: I am not afraid of your confusion. I have something that can meet it.
Public-domain translations (3) compare all →
To him who was thus despondent in the middle of the two armies, O Bharata, Hrishikesha, as if smiling, spoke these words. [4]
Then, in the midst of the two armied hosts, Krishna, the Prince of Holiness, with a smile, Turned on the weeping Arjuna, and spake. [7]
To him who was thus despondent in the midst of both armies, Hrishikesha, with a slight smile, O Bharata, spoke these words. [9]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
You grieve for those who should not be grieved for — and call it wisdom.
Your body changed from childhood to age without 'you' dying — changing bodies is no different.
The wisdom-yoked person rises above good and bad karma alike. Yoga is supreme skill in action.
Arjuna asks: what does the truly wise person look like? How do they speak, sit, and move?
Steady wisdom begins here: when all desires fall away and the Self finds fullness in itself alone.
I taught this imperishable yoga to the sun-god at the dawn of time — it has been passed down through kings ever since.
Verse 10 of 72 · back to Chapter 2