Text 10

tam uvaca hrishikeshah
prahasann iva bharata
senayor ubhayor madhye
visidantam idam vacah

Translation

O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krishna, smiling, in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

The talk was going on between intimate friends, namely the Hrishikesha and the Gudakesha. As friends, both of them were on the same level, but one of them voluntarily became a student of the other. Krishna 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 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.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

"You have shown such lack of judgment!" Laughing at him as a friend, Krishna 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 Krishna suppressed that laugh by closing his lips. Instead he slightly smiled (prahasann iva). The Lord of the senses (hrsikesa) 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 Krishna's consolation were seen directly by both armies (senayor ubhayor madhye).