Chapter 2, Verse 10 (Bhagavad Gita 2.10)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः
Transliteration
tam-uvācha hṛiṣhīkeśhaḥ prahasanniva bhārata senayorubhayor-madhye viṣhīdantam-idaṁ vachaḥ
Word Meanings
tam—to him; uvācha—said; hṛiṣhīkeśhaḥ—Shree Krishna, the master of mind and senses; prahasan—smilingly; iva—as if; bhārata—Dhritarashtra, descendant of Bharat; senayoḥ—of the armies; ubhayoḥ—of both; madhye—in the midst of; viṣhīdantam—to the grief-stricken; idam—this; vachaḥ—words
Translation
O descendant of Bharata, as both armies stood ready, Krishna, smiling, spoke these words to the grief-stricken Arjuna in the midst of the two forces.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse marks a profound psychological turning point where sorrow meets divine perspective. Krishna’s smile is not one of mockery, but a gesture of compassion, signaling that the turmoil Arjuna experiences is born of illusion and is ultimately temporary. It teaches us that true wisdom begins when we acknowledge our inner crisis rather than suppressing it, inviting the Divine into our confusion. By standing between the two armies, Krishna represents the center of awareness that remains unperturbed amidst the polarities of life—attachment and detachment, fear and courage. Ultimately, this moment suggests that the darkest points of our existence are often the threshold where true spiritual awakening begins.