Sañjaya, possessing divine vision granted by the sage Vyāsa, describes the scene to the blind king. He reports that Duryodhana, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s eldest son, has viewed the military formation of the Pāṇḍavas and immediately approached his teacher, Droṇācārya. Despite Duryodhana’s outward display of confidence as a king, his internal state is one of fear. The Pāṇḍava army, though smaller in number, was arranged so expertly by Dhṛṣṭadyumna that it appeared formidable. Duryodhana turns to Droṇācārya, the commander and guru, not just for military counsel but to mask his own insecurity. By addressing the brāhmaṇa commander first, he hopes to secure Droṇa’s loyalty, fully aware that the teacher has affection for the Pāṇḍavas. Duryodhana’s diplomacy here is driven by political necessity. He points out the enemy’s strength to incite his commander into taking the battle seriously, ensuring he does not fight leniently against the Pāṇḍavas. His address to the ‘ācārya’ instead of the commander-in-chief Bhīṣma reveals his psychological prioritization of those he thinks might be soft-hearted toward the opposition.