Ashwathama hears the news about his father's death from Dushasana and rushes to the scene. He is distraught by the fact that Drishtadhyumna beheaded his father when he had thrown away all the weapons. 
He shoots the Narayanastra skyward with the aim of exterminating all the Pandavas. Krishna tells the Pandavas to throw down their weapons, recite Narayana mantra and seek refuge in Him. The Astra returns to Krishna without harming anybody.
Krishna offers solacing words to Ashwathama that Drona willingly embraced death. Ashwathama protests that Drona was killed in a non-dharmic way. Though technically Yudhishtra did not utter a lie, the objective of his uttereances was to deceive Drona. Krishna explains that to establish Dharma, sometimes small deviations have be made to certain rules, but the noble end justifies the means!
Shakuni tries a new angle to trap Pandavas. He says the Pandavas should accept defeat, because they had bowed to Aswathama. He asks Duryodhana to order imprisonement of the Pandavas or a further exile the second time. Krishna laughs and clarifies that they had bowed not to Ashwathama, but to his Narayana Astra; or in other words, to the almighty. The Pandavas then leave the battle field.
Pandavas want to pay homage to their Guru Drona, but Aswathama doesn't allow them. He shames them for killing the preceptor who is like a father to them. He swears to behead Drishtadyumna the same way.
Ashwathama's words gash Arjuna greatly and he tries to kill Dhrishtadyumna. Draupadi not only stops this, but asks him searing questions." Where was this frenzy when the woman you married was humiliated and disrobed? When your sense of propriety did not get jolted by Dushasana's lewd behavior, why is it getting knocked off now when your guru, who stood on the side of adharma, gets killed?"
Krishna supports Drishtadhyumna who, by killing Drona, had merely protected the honour of his father and punished the silent supporter of someone who had molested his sister. Had Arjuna taken retribution then and there, Krishna says, Kurukshetra war wouldn't have happened at all. Drishtadhyumna may not even have taken birth, as Drupada brought him into this world solely to kill Drona. Fully knowing the secret of Drishtadhyumna's birth, the Pandavas have welcomed him into their army, and now they act mortified by his killing! Krishna further declares death to be the reward given by Kaladeva and is always just.
Krishna, Arjuna and Yudhishtra tell Bhishma about Drona's death. Initially, Drona doesn't approve of the manner in which Drona is killed, but he accepts it as Krishna Leela, when he learns that Drona had decided to use Brahmastra against Arjuna, and the Pandavas did not have any other choice.
Karna is unanimously selected and appointed commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army.
Karna meets Gandhari to convey to her the happy tidings of being selected the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army, thus wiping away his feelings of inferiority of being a suta-putra. Kunti is present there too. She is happy to know about the well deserved honor conferred on Karna. Karna is touched by her maternal love, but his feelings of elation is short-lived. Draupadi is unimpressed and sarcastic; and she belittles Karna's valor and his birth.
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