Behind Kṛṣṇa's Smile: The Lord's Hint of Laughter in the Bhagavadgītā and Beyond

This book investigates Kṛṣṇa’s hint of laughter (prahasann iva) in Bhagavadgītā 2.10. It is our contention that the god’s laughter/smile constitutes the poem’s turning point since it signals the outpouring of his grace and teaching to Arjuna: remarkably, it is from this verse that Śaṅkara (c. 700 CE) and other leading theologians begin their commentaries. We then turn to an examination of the Bhagavadgītā commentarial tradition, in order to show how Kṛṣṇa’s prahasann iva has been interpreted along the centuries. To achieve a more comprehensive picture we next concentrate on the occurrences of prahasann iva/hasann iva within the broader framework of the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa epics. A final overview of laughter in Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra and an appreciation of the deity’s laughter/smile in kṛṣṇaite literature and iconography allows the recognition of a unified canon that ties together the literary and esthetic, performative dimensions of Kṛṣṇa’s prahasann iva.