SANJAYA SAID:

Now seeing the Pandava army arrayed properly, the Prince Duryodhana drew near his preceptor Drona and spoke these words:

    Now we should highlight two things here. The Prince Duryodhana sees the pandava army arrayed properly. These words of the wise Sanjaya are purely psychological. Both his father and Duryodhana knew the war that was going to be waged was between the righteous Pandavas and the unrighteous Kauravas. At the juncture of the war Duryodhana’s mind sways, not like that of Arjuna’s, but because he is blood thirsty and wants to butchar the Pandavas, so there is no compunction in him. Still he draws near his preceptor, Drona and start to speak about the nature of the two armies.

There is a story attached to this in the Mahabharata itself: both Arjuna and Duryodhana go to seek Sri Krishnas help, and Arjuna stands at the feet of the Lord, who is enacting a drama by lying stretched out on his bed and feigning to be asleep, and Duryodhana, who come next to the parlour, sits by the head of the reclining Lord. So when the Lord come out of sleep he first sees Arjuna and asks what he wants by way of help in the war that is going to ensue; He also tells him that on one side his whole army of soldiers is available, and on the other side He alone is available. “Choose between me and my army!” He says to Arjuna, and Duriyodhana , who the Lord sees later, is petrified with fear thinking that Arjuna is going to choose the Lord’s army, for he wants not the Lord shorn of his army! But to his great relief, Arjuna begs for the Lord alone, shorn of His army! And Duriyodhana, much relieved, choose to have the Lord’s army for the Lord has already declared he is not going to fight with any side in the war!

But now, when the war is poised to commence, Sanjaya delves deep into Duriyodhana’s psyche, and describes that he sees his enemy’s army is arrayed properly! Because the first thing in a war at the time was disciplined arraignment and determined and motivated soldiers!

Moreover, in this dharma yudha, Duriyodhana represents adhama or unrighteousness. So his inner heart sees the proper arraignment of the Pandava’s army. So he sees his defeat well in advance!

In our humdrum life too we have to constantly engage in war, because our body is the chetra or field for the righteous war, and the war continues till the very end. Even the criminals know in their heart of hearts that they are living in sin. And that is the mentality of Duriyodhana through the words of a discerning Sanjaya.