The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair

Duryodhana ends his list with 'all great chariot warriors indeed'—notice the anxious emphasis. He's calling even young warriors like Abhimanyu and Draupadi's sons 'great warriors.' These are barely adults, yet in his fearful mind they become overwhelming threats. This is what anxiety does: it magnifies. When you're in fear mode, everything looks bigger and more dangerous than it is. The superlatives ('valiant,' 'powerful,' 'great') aren't observations—they're distortions. Fear doesn't just add stress; it warps reality itself.