Kripa (, ), also known as Kripacharya (, ), is a figure in Hindu legends. According to the epic Mahabharata, he was a council member of Kuru kingdom and a teacher of the Pandava and Kaurava princes. He is also a teacher of many warriors mentioned in the Mahabharata, including Karna.
Born to warrior-sage Sharadvan and apsara Janapadi in an extraordinary manner, Kripa and his twin-sister Kripi were adopted by King Shantanu of Kuru Kingdom. Kripa was trained by his birth father and became a great archer like him. Later in the epic, he fought on the Kauravas's side against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war and was among the three survivors from the Kaurava side, along with Ashwatthama and Kritavarma.
Kripa is a chiranjivi, an immortal being destined to live until the end of the Kali Yuga, the last yuga (age). According to some texts, he will also become one of the Saptarishi—the seven revered sages—in the next Manvantara, which is a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology.
Names
The Sanskrit word Kripa (Kṛpa) means 'pity' or 'mercy'. According to the Mahabharata (c. 700 BCE – 400 CE), he and his sister were named "Kripa" and "Kripi" as they were adopted by King Shantanu out of pity. When Sharadvan saw her, he lost his control and ejaculated. Ashamed of his actions, he left his weapons and went deep into a forest. The semen fell on some weeds, dividing the weeds into two parts. A boy and a girl were born from the weeds. During the war, Kripa fought with many warriors including Brihatkshetra, Chekitana, Satyaki, Sahadeva, Arjuna, Bhima, Dhrishaketu and Vardhakshremi. He also defeated Shikhandi and Yudhamanyu, as well as killed Abhimanyu's guards, Suketu and Kalinda prince. The Shalya Parva mention that Kripa advised Karna to make peace with the Pandavas. On the 18th day of the war, the Kauravas side was defeated and Duryodhana was killed by Bhima. Kripa cried for him and along with Ashwatthama, he massacred the remaining Pandava army during that night and lit the fire at the camp.
The Stri Parva of the epic records Kripa returning to Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, the parents of the Kauravas, and telling them about the war. In the epic's Ashramavasika Parva, when Dhritarashtra decided to retire to the forest, Kripa wanted to accompany him. However, Dhritarashtra stopped him and advised Yudhishthira, the new emperor of Kuru Kingdom, to make Kripa a council member. When the Pandavas also retired to the Himalayas after many years, Kripa became the preceptor of Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna. It is believed that after fulfilling his duties, Kripa finally went to the forest for penance and lived the rest of his life.
Legacy
In Hinduism, Kripa is described as a Chiranjivi, an "immortal" who will remain alive until the end of the Kali Yuga, the last of the four yugas (age). According to some scriptures, Kripa was blessed with immortality because of his discipline, loyalty and impartial nature.
According to the Vishnu Purana (c. 400 BCE – 900 CE), Kripa will become one of the Saptarishi, the seven most revered sages, in the next Manvantara, which is a cyclic period of time identifying the age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind, in Hindu cosmology.
Literature
The Sapta Chiranjivi Stotram is a mantra that is featured in Hindu literature:
The mantra states that the remembrance of the eight immortals until end of kalyuga (Ashwatthama, Mahabali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripa, Parashurama, and Markandeya) offers one freedom from ailments and longevity.