Sounds like it's the battery that's screwed. Low batteries can often cause the other electronic systems to go haywire so i really wouldn't worry about the DSC/ABD failure messages just yet.
If you put in a brand new, charged battery tomorrow and it still does the same thing - then it's time to worry
In all honesty though, it sounds like the battery has been on the way out for a while and the cells are slowly degrading to the point where it just can't hold charge any more. A bit like when the battery on your laptop becomes crap after a few years. Start up places a lot of stress/load on the battery, so it is the most likely time for the battery to show it's weakness and fail.