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.

[4] Later, the Pandava and Kaurava princes studied under Drona, Kripi's husband who was born to Bharadvaja and apsara Ghritachi in the similar way like her.

[6] The Sabha Parva of the epic narrates that Kripa participated in the Rajasuya ritual of Yudhishthira, where he distributed dakshina (fees).

In the Virata Parva, Kripa helped Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava, by sending spies to find the Pandavas during their incognito period of exile.

[4] The Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata mentions that Bhishma, commander of the Kaurava army, declared Kripa as a mighty warrior.

[7] During the war, Kripa fought with many warriors including Brihatkshetra, Chekitana, Satyaki, Sahadeva, Arjuna, Bhima, Dhrishaketu and Vardhakshremi.

[6] The Stri Parva of the epic records Kripa returning to Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, the parents of the Kauravas, and telling them about the war.

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.

[9][10] The Sapta Chiranjivi Stotram is a mantra that is featured in Hindu literature: अश्वत्थामा बलिर्व्यासो हनुमांश्च विभीषण:।कृप: परशुरामश्च सप्तैतै चिरञ्जीविन:॥सप्तैतान् संस्मरेन्नित्यं मार्कण्डेयमथाष्टमम्।जीवेद्वर्षशतं सोपि सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः॥ aśvatthāmā balirvyāsō hanumāṁśca vibhīṣaṇaḥ।kṛpaḥ paraśurāmaśca saptaitai cirañjīvinaḥ॥saptaitān saṁsmarēnnityaṁ mārkaṇḍēyamathāṣṭamam।jīvēdvarṣaśataṁ sopi sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ॥The mantra states that the remembrance of the eight immortals (Ashwatthama, Mahabali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripa, Parashurama, and Markandeya) offers one freedom from ailments and longevity.