In plain words
Then Draupadī: “Arjuna! If you want to keep your word, there is no need to kill Aśvatthāmā. It is enough if you take him inside, shave his head, take his crest-jewel and push him out; that will be the same as taking his life,” she said. Following her counsel, Arjuna humiliated Aśvatthāmā and let him go.
He whom the world praises, Indra's son, the great hero, with his fearsome sword sheared Aśvatthāmā's locks; the great jewel within his crest he took, so that his lasting fame shone out; the bonds of many cords he loosed in good faith, and thrust him out to leave the ground of the camp.
If anyone does us some harm, we too must not set out to do them harm in return. That is why Draupadī held Arjuna's feet and begged him to forgive Aśvatthāmā and let him go. There are many such noble events in the Mahābhārata. To abuse others, to revile them, to harm them is a great sin. We must never set out on such sin. What is sin? Sin is nothing but tormenting others. Merit is nothing but sustaining others. In this way Draupadī went on giving her husbands so much good counsel.
In the end Aśvatthāmā fell at Draupadī's feet and begged her to forgive him. Then Draupadī: “My son! You need not clasp my feet. Clasp your mother's feet. Go on protecting her so that no sorrow comes to her,” she said. Seeing the change that had come about in him, she was very happy. In no hardship whatever did she let her tears flow. Even today there are a great many such pure-hearted women in the world. Without sinking under hardships, they go on living their lives with great courage and daring. Only because of virtuous women does our Bhārata still stand even this much. Otherwise this world would have been burnt to ashes long ago. In women there is great courage; there is fine valour; there is Dharma; there is a resolve that can achieve any great work through perseverance. Men do not have such mighty powers.