Sanjaya further said - "Your army got scattered in fear of weapons and loss of leader gathered around your son. The fall of Drone was like to see a dried sea, or the defeat of Indra for everyone. Shakuni also fled away with his army as fast as he could. Even Karn,  Shalya, Kripaa, Kritvarmaa, Ulook also fled away. Duryodhan and Dushaasan also ran away in anxiety. Vrishsen also fled away with his 10,000 chariots and 3,000 horses. Thus the whole Kuru army was totally scattered.

Only Ashwatthaamaa was fighting with Shikhandee. He saw Kaurav army running away from the battlefield. He got surprised to see this. He came rushing to Duryodhan and asked him - "Why are your soldiers running away? Why don't you rally them to fight? You also seem to be sad. In no battle I have seen so many people fleeing away from the battle field." Duryodhan couldn't answer his questions, he just looked at Ashwathaamaa and his eyes filled with tears. Then he asked Kripaa to tell him why his army was fleeing away. Then Kripaa told Ashwathaamaa everything that how his father was killed.

Kripaa said - "We were fighting with Paanchaal. During the fight Kaurav army started getting killed so your father got angry. He invoked Brahm Astra and slew the enemies in hundreds and thousands. Seeing Drone killing Paandav army, Krishn said to Yudhishthir - "Let him not kill your army any more. If he will hear that Ashwathaamaa is no more he will not fight, and then only you can kill him. So let somebody tell him a lie that Ashwatthaamaa has been slain in battle. Arjun did not approve it, although all others did, and Yudhishthir approved it with great difficulty. Then Bheem said to your father - "Ashwathaamaa has been slain." But your father did not believe it, so he asked Yudhishthir. He said looking at an elephant belonging to Indravarmaa - "Yes, For whom you have taken these weapons, that your son is dead lying on the ground." In spite of knowing that his son was not dead, Yudhishthir said this.

After this he could not fight as before. He laid down his weapons. He saw Dhrishtdyumn as his killer, he just sat down in Yog position to go to Heaven. Dhrishtdyumn then cut his head disregarding all people's request, "Do not kill him, bring him alive." That is why your troops are running away in fear." Hearing this Ashwatthaamaa filled with rage.

Dhritraashtra asked Sanjaya - "Hearing this what Ashwatthaamaa said? Every father wishes that his son should be better than him, and Drone also must have done the same thing to Ashwatthaamaa. So Ashwatthaamaa should be like Karn in knowledge of weapons; like Indra in battle; like Kaarttikeya in energy; like Brihaspati in wisdom; ocean in gravity; a poisonous snake in wrath; wind in speed and Yam in rage. He has been born to kill Dhrishtdyumn, as Dhrishtdyumn was born to kill Drone. So tell me that what Ashwatthaamaa said then?"

Sanjaya said - "Ashwatthaamaa got terribly angry with Yudhishthir who told a lie to kill his Guru just to grab the kingdom and wealth; and angry with Dhrishtdyumn because he killed him when his father had laid down his weapons. He said - "I cannot bear my father's insult. I will surely punish the man who has insulted my father. I will kill Dhrishtdyumn. I am going to kill them with a single Astra. I have Naaraayan Astra with me. It was given to my father by Bhagavaan Himself. I will shower numerous arrows with that Astra. That wretched Dhrishtdyumn will never escape from me today." Then he began to blow his trumpets and beat drums etc, and thus Kaurav army proceeded towards Paandav army under the leadership of Ashwatthaamaa. In the meantime Ashwatthaamaa invoked Naaraayan Astra.

Paandav Leaders Abuse Each Other

The Paandav got alert hearing the sounds of trumpets and drums. Yudhishthir said - "When Guru died, the Kaurav army became quiet and left hope of their winning, but how come that it is coming again to us? Who is heading it?" Arjun said - "I know it, it is Ashwatthaamaa who is leading them. As soon as he was born he made a loud sound like Indra's horses, that is why the Divine voice named him Ashwatthaamaa (the horse-voiced). Brother, You told a lie to kill him. In fact he had never imagined that you would tell a lie to him that was why after hearing from you he laid down his weapons. Today you have done a very unrighteous thing. You made the Aachaarya weaponless then Dhrishtdyumn killed him so cruelly. Ashwatthaamaa will never forgive him. As Raam has the stain on His life for killing innocent Baali, your ill fame will also be eternal in Tri-Lok because of telling this lie. Now you better try to protect Dhrishtdyumn from his [Ashwatthaamaa's] anger, if you can. Even all of us united together will not be able to protect him today. I asked him not to kill him but only to capture him alive but he didn't listen to me.

We have very few days left, and we have already put a black spot on our forehead by this unrighteous act. He was our Guru. He loved us like his own children although he had got much wealth from Dhritraashtra. It is only because of your words he laid down his weapons. My Guru was under the impression that in consequence of his love I could abandon everything - father, brother, children, wife, but not him. That is why I did not interfere at all when he was about to be slain. But for this sin I will have to go to Hell. Just for the kingdom sake we killed a man who was a Braahman, who was our Guru, who was weaponless, who was respectable because of being old, and who was devoted to Yog."

All got silent hearing this from Arjun. Bheem was also silent for a few moments, but then said - "You disgust me, Arjun. You talk like forest dwellers who have controlled their senses, but we are not forest dwellers who have abandoned everything. We are Kshatriya and a Kshatriya is he who protects others from injuries. You have so much power that you can win the entire world. And you talk about the righteousness with brother? When did he move from his path of righteousness? Tell me. He has spent 13 years in forest without any anger. His wife was dragged in the assembly and was insulted, his kingdom was taken un-righteously. While all of which demanded anger. Remembering all those acts of unrighteousness I came here to take revenge from them. I myself will slay those wretches. And you are now talking about virtue? You are praising Ashwatthaamaa who is not even 1/16th part of you. You need not to be afraid of him at all. I alone can defeat him in the battle."

Then Dhrishtdyumn said - "Braahman are created to perform six duties - assisting at sacrifices, teaching, giving away, performance of sacrifices, receiving of gifts, and study. Tell me, in which one of these he was engaged in as a Braahman? He had fallen from his duties and was practicing Kshatriya's duties with superhuman weapons. That is why he has been punished by me. You know about morality, then how do you say that I am the killer of my preceptor? I was born for this purpose only. He used Brahmaastra on those innocent people who did not know about it. I forgive all the faults of your speech for the sake of Draupadee and her children only not for anything else."

Hearing all this all stood silent. But Arjun still said to Dhrishtdyumn - "Fie, Fie.", Yudhishthir, Bheem, twins and Krishn, stood there bashfully. Then Saatyaki said - "Is there nobody who can slay this low level man (Dhrishtdyumn)? Why didn't your head break into hundred pieces while killing your Guru? You committed a sin and still you are praising yourself? Who else could kill him seizing him by his locks except you. Your seven generations up and seven generations down have gone to hell. You blame Paarth for killing Bheeshm, but he accomplished his own death. Your father had created Shikhandee to kill Bheeshm, (see "Who Created Shikhandee?") while Arjun only protected Shikhandee. If you will talk like this in my presence I will break your head with my Gadaa. Just bear one stroke of my Gadaa, I can bear several of yours."

Dhrishtdyumn got very angry at this, he said - "I have heard you and I forgive you for those words. You yourself are a sinful soul. You are very unrighteous from tip to toe. You yourself killed Bhoorishravaa when he was sitting in Yog position and was armless, and still you are blaming me? Be silent. Don't blame me ever again. If you will say such harsh words to me again I will kill you. One cannot defeat his enemies by righteousness alone. Because of this righteousness only, Shalya was withdrawn from our army. Because of this righteousness only Abhimanyu was killed. We could not have killed Bheeshm, Bhoorishravaa and Drone if we followed righteousness. So go and fight with Kaurav, victory will be yours."

Hearing the words of Dhrishtdyumn Saatyaki became extremely angry. He started trembling. He put down his bow and picked his Gadaa and said to him - "Now I will not speak harsh words to you, only I will kill you." At the sign of Krishn, Bheem interrupted them by holding Saatyaki's arm. Sahadev also jumped down from his chariot and said to Saatyaki - "We have no friends save Andhak, Vrishni (Krishn, Saatyaki etc) and Paanchaal (Drupad's people) and so also Andhak and Vrishni. Both of you are good fiend, so forgetting everything, concentrate only on battle. Be calm and forgive one another."

Sanjaya said - "While Sahadev was pacifying Saatyaki thus, Dhrishtdyumn said - "Free Saatyaki, let him come and have a fight with me. I will kill him, and after killing him I will fight with Kaurav too." With great difficulty Krishn and Yudhishthir could pacify both of them. Then all proceeded towards Kaurav army.