“Janamejaya said, ‘O Brahmana (Rishi Vaishampaayana), it is
your duty to relate to me everything about the birth of Kripa. How did he
spring from a cluster of uncultivated wasteland? Also from what place did he
obtain his weapons?’
“Vaishampaayana said, ‘O king (Janamejaya), the Maharishi
Gautama had a son named Sharadvata. This Sharadvata was born with arrows (in
hand). O oppressor of enemies (Janamejaya), the son of Gautama exhibited great readiness
for the study of the science of weapons (Dhanurveda), but none for the other sciences. Sharadvata acquired all his weapons
by those Tapas by which Brahmanas in student life acquire the knowledge of
Vedas. Gautama (Sharavata) by his readiness
for Dhanurveda and by his Tapas made (Lord) Indra Himself greatly afraid of him. Then, O you of Kuru's race (Janamejaya), the chief of Devas (Lord Indra) called an Apsara named Jaalapadi and sent
her to Gautama (Sharadvata), saying,
‘Do your best to disturb the Tapas of Gautama.’
“Travelling to the charming ashrama of Sharadvata, the
lady (Jaalapadi) began to tempt the Rishi equipped with bow and arrows. Seeing that
Apsara, of figure unrivalled on earth for beauty, alone in those woods and dressed
in a single piece of cloth, Sharadvata's eyes expanded with delight. At the
sight of the lady, his bow and arrows slipped from his hand and his (body)frame shook all over with emotion; but
possessed of toughness of Tapas and strength of soul, the sage (Sharadvata) gathered sufficient patience to bear up
against the temptation. However, the suddenness of his mental agitation, caused
an unconscious emission of his vital (reproductive) fluid. Leaving his bow and arrows and deer-skin behind, he went away,
flying from the Apsara. His vital fluid, however, having fallen upon a cluster
of unproductive waste land, was divided into two parts, from where sprang two
children that were twins.
“It
happened that a soldier in attendance upon king Shantanu (Bhishma’s father) while the monarch was out on hunting in the forest, came upon the
twins. Seeing the bow and arrows and deer-skin on the ground, he thought they
might be the offspring of some Brahmana skillful in Dhanurveda. Deciding thus,
he took up the children along with the bow and arrows, and showed what he had
to the king. Seeing them the king (Shantanu) was moved with pity, and saying, ‘Let these become my children,’
brought them to his palace. Then that first of men, Shantanu, the son of
Pratipa, having brought Gautama's twins into his house, performed in respect of
them the usual rites of Dharma. He began to bring them up and called them Kripa
and Kripi, in reference to the fact that he brought them up from motives of
pity (Kripa in Sanskrit). The Gautama
(Sharadvata) having left his former ashrama,
continued his study of Dhanurveda in right earnest. By his spiritual insight,
he learnt that his son and daughter were in the palace of Shantanu. He immediately
went to the monarch and represented everything about his lineage. He then
taught Kripa the four branches of Dhanurveda, and various other branches of
knowledge, including all their mysteries and complex details. In a short time,
Kripa became an eminent professor of the science (of arms). The hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, and
the Pandavas along with the Yadavas, and the Vrishnis, and many other princes
from various lands, began to receive lessons from him in that science (Dhanurveda).’”
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