Narayana

Then addressed by thy son, O sire, Aswatthaman, sighing cheerlessly, replied unto the king in these words, 'That weapon, O king, cannot be brought back. It cannot be used twice. If brought back, it will without doubt, slay the person calling it
back. Vasudeva, hath, by what means thou hast seen, caused it to be baffled. For this, O ruler men, the
destruction of the foe hath not been compassed in battle.

Defeat and death, however, are the same.
Rather, defeat is worse than death. Lo, the enemy, vanquished and compelled to lay down his arms,
looks as if deprived of life'. Duryodhana then said, 'O preceptor's son, if it be so, if this weapon cannot
be used twice, let those slayers of their preceptor be slain with other weapons then, O foremost one of all
persons acquainted with weapons! In thee are all celestial as well as in the Three eyed (Siva) of
immeasurable energy. If thou wishest it not, even Purandara in rage cannot escape thee.'

Drona Parva Section CCI