Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 2: The Path of Understanding
Bhagavad Gita 2.10
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ॥
tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasanniva bhārata | senayorubhayormadhye viṣīdantamidaṃ vacaḥ ||
Then, O descendant of Bharata, Krishna, as if smiling, spoke these words to him as he sat despairing between the two armies.
Modern context
Krishna answers 'as if smiling'. It is not mockery. It is the calm of someone who sees further and is not alarmed by what has alarmed his friend. A steady presence is often the first help a distressed person receives, before any words.