Names, Places, Events, Things: Ruminations and Essays on Hindu Mythology

8. Kripacharya - Also often called Kripa , was the chief priest at the court of Hastinapura, in the Mahabharata. He comes from the lineage of Rishi Gautam . Gautam had a son called Sharadvan – who was supposedly born with arrows. He was great archer and attained the art of all types of warfare. He bore twins – a boy and a girl – from an Apsara called Janapadi . The twins were found by King Shantanu , of Hastinapura, who brought them to the city and called them Kripa and Kripi .  Kripa went on to become the high priest of Hastinapura, and also the early teacher of the 100 Kauravas and 5 Pandavas. Kripi married Drona , and gave birth to Ashwatthama . So Kripa was also guru and maternal uncle of Ashwatthama. Kripacharya was an extraordinary teacher. To him, all pupils were equal. A guru like Drona favoured Arjuna and sacrificed an equally if not more promising student - he asked Ekalavya for his right thumb. Kripa, on the other hand, upheld the highest standards expect...