The samsaptakas take oath to kill Arjuna or be killed by him. They sat before the fire, and went through funeral ceremonies for themselves as if already dead, and took their oath.
On the twelth day of the war, Arjuna is eager to fight Karna, and asks Krishna to steer the chariot accordingly. Just then Satyaki brings the news of Susharma planning to attack with Samsaptakas. Arjuna is confused about which course of action he should take and surrenders to Krishna and promises to follow his directives.
They reach the battle ground where the Pandavas have assembled the troops in the Mandala form and the Kauravas have countered it with the Garuda formation. A determined Drona smacks into Yudhishtra at the start itself and pumps volleys of shafts at him. Arjuna wants to go to Yudhishtra's aid but the king of Pragjyotisha named Baghadatta, who is the son of Narakasura, challenges Arjuna to kill him first. 
After a stiff fight, in which Arjuna counters all the weapons thrown at him, the asura Baghadatta aims the Vaishnava astra against Arjuna. He boasts that the astra was given to him by Sriman Narayana Himself and cannot be countered by Arjuna as that action could kill Krishna. Arjuna stands petrified, but the astra turns into a garland and takes refuge in Krishna. Arjuna is mortified that once again Krishna is forced into fighting for him much against his oath of not participating in the war. Krishna explains that He had given it to Narakasura and it is not bound to serve his son; so the astra has come to the rightful owner. He then tells Arjuna to fight and kill Baghadatta and Arjuna does so in a trice.
Before Arjuna comes closer to Yudhishtra and Drona, Susharma challenges him to fight him and his Samsaktaka army. Not accepting the challenge would be a blot on his blemishless valor, so Arjuna pursues Susharma. Before leaving, he entrusts the job of protecting Yudhishtra to Satyajit, King Drupada's brother (original Sanskrit Shlokas in the Critical Edition Satyajit as his son). Bheema, Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna come to Yudhishtra's aid. Satyajit is a fiery warrior but is no match for Drona, and so ends giving up his life after stiff resistance. (Vyasaonline says that Yudhishtra fled the battle ground after Satyajit's death, as advised by Arjuna.)
Ashwathama kills king Neela/Nila of Mahishmati. The twelfth day of battle comes to a close.
Ashwathama is deliriously happy with his father's slaying of the invincible Satyajit and applauds him. Kripacharya praises the feats of both Ashwathama and Drona, but Drona is unmoved. Drona knows these feats will never appear big enough for Duryodhana and braces himself to Duryodhana's tirade.
In the meanwhile, Krishna and Arjuna, who return to the camp after a prolonged war with the Samsaktakas, are met with grim-looking Bhima and Sahadeva. The reason turns out to be the death of Satyajit. Satyajit is beside himself with grief. Just then they hear uproarious laughter of Ashwathama, and this drives the Panchala king crazy.
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