Also known as Kripacharya.
Antecedents: Vishnu – Brahma- Atri – Chandra – Budha – Pururavas – Ayus – Nahusha – Yayati – Puru – Janamejaya – Prachinvan – Namasyu – Veetabhaya – Shundu – Bahuvidha – Samyati – Rahovadi – Bhadrashwa – Matinara – Santurodha – Dushyanta – Bharata – Suhotra – Suhota – Gala – Garda – Suketu – Brihalkshetra – Hasti – Ajameedha – Neela – Shanti – Sushanti – Puruja – Arka – Bharmyashwa – Panchala – Mulgala – Ahalya. Ahalya was married to Gautama. Gautama – Shatananda – Satyadhriti – Sharadwa – Kripa. As per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 140 verse 2, Gautama was the father of Sharadwa. But as per Bhagavata and Agnipurana Chapter 278, this chart is right.
Sharadwa was born in a hermitage but expressed an interest in archery. He started meditating in the forest for obtaining divine weapons. The devas became frightened at his intensity and Indra sent a goddess named Janapati to distract him. She began dancing seductively in front of him and he ejaculated on seeing this. But he regained his composure immediately and left the place. His semen fell on an arrow tip and from it was born a boy and a girl.
During that time Shantanu was hunting in that forest. One of his soldiers took the children to him. He took him to the palace. The boy was named Kripa and the girl, Kripi as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 130. According to Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 67 verse 77, they were both avatars of rudraganas.
While Sharadwa was meditating in the forest, he came to know that the children were living in Shantanu’s palace. He went there and apprised the king of their origin. Sharadwa stayed there for a while and taught Kripa weaponry. Kripa then became a teacher himself and in addition to the Pandavas and Kauravas, Yadavas and Vrishnis and many others came to be tutored by him as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 130 verse 23.
After the Pandavas and Kauravas had learned weaponry, a test was conducted in public. Drona, Kripa, Somadatta, Balhika, Bhishma, Visura and other dignitaries were present. Arjuna faced Karna in single combat. Kripa asked for Karna’s antecedents. Karna stood there embarrassed and that was when Duryodhana made him king of Anga as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 136.
Kripa was present at Yudhishtira’s rajasuya as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 34 verse 3. He was in charge of storing money and distributing alms as per Mahabharata Sabhaparva Chapter 35 verse 7. During the Pandavas’ exile, the Kauravas sent spies to hunt for them. These spies were advised tactics by Kripa as per Mahabharata Virataparva Chapter 29. He also advised Duryodhana. He also told Duryodhana that he was strong enough to defeat the Pandava army in 2 months as per Mahabharata Virataparva Chapter 193 verse 19.
The following mentions are made of Kripa in the Kurukshetra battle. He fought Brihalkshetra on the first day as per Bhishmaparva Chapter 45. He fell unconscious while battling Chekitana as per Bhishmaparva Chapter 84 verse 31. He wounded Satyaki as per Bhishmaparva Chapter 101 verse 40. He fought with Sahadeva as per Bhishmaparva Chapter 110 verse 12. He fought with Arjuna and Bhima as per Bhishmaparva Chapter 113 verse 114. He fought Dhrishtaketu as per Dronaparva Chapter 14 verse 33. He battled Vardhakshemi as per Dronaparva Chapter 25 verse 41. His flag fluttered so as to be seen from anywhere in the battlefield as per Dronaparva Chapter 105. He killed Abhimanyu’s attendants as per Dronaparva Chapter 32 verse 48. In his battle with Arjuna, he fell unconscious as per Dronaparva Chapter 147 verse 9. He ridiculed Karna as per Dronaparva Chapter 158 verse 13. He advised Ashwathama to prevent Duryodhana from looking at Arjuna as per Dronaparva Chapter 150 verse 77. Kripa defeated Shikhandi as per Chapter 169 verse 39. When Drona died, Kripa ran away from the battlefield as per Dronaparva Chapter 193 verse 12. Satyaki defeated him as per Dronaparva Chapter 20 verse 53. He killed Chitraketu’s son Suketu as per Karnaparva Chapter 54 verrse 28. He defeated Yudhamanyu as per Karnaparva Chapter 61 verse 55. He defeated the prince of Kulinda as per Karnaparva Chapter 85 verse 6. He advised Karna to make peace with the Pandavas as per Shalyaparva Chapter 4. He escaped the battlefield and ran to Dwaipayanasaras as per Shalyaparva Chapter 30 verse 9. He left the place when Yudhishtira reached there with his armies as per Shalyaparva Chapter 30 verse 63. He made Ashwathama commander as per Duryodhana;s instructions as per Shalyaparva Chapter 65 verse 43. He fought along with Ashwathama at night as per Sauptikaparva Chapter 5 verse 35. He killed the Pandava warriors who ran out of their tents as per Sauptikaparva Chapter 8 verse 106. He set fire to the Pandava camp as per Sauptikaparva Chapter 8 verse 109. He cried on seeing Duryodhana’s plight as per Sauptikaparva Chapter 9 verse 10. He informed Dhritarashtra and Gandhari that the Pandavas and Kauravas would be destroyed and went to Hastinapura as per Mahabharata Sriparva Chapter 11 verse 21.
After the death of the Kauravas, when Dhritarashtra and Gandhari left for the forest, Kripa wanted to accompany them. But as per Dhritarashtra’s request, Yudhishtira let him stay in Hastinapura as per Mahabharata Ashramavasikaparva Chapter 16 verse 5. When the Pandavas began their Mahaprasthana, Yudhishtira made him Parikshit’s guru as per Mahabharata Mahaprasthanaparva Chapter 1 verse 14. Towards the end of his life, Kripa went to the forests to meditate and thus gained salvation as per Mahabharata Shantiparva Chapter 296 verse 14.
Kripa was also known as Acharya, Acharyasattama, bharatacharya, Brahmarshi, Sharadwata, Sharadwataputra, Gautama.