How powerful truly was Kripacharya as a warrior?

 Kripacharya: An underrated warrior

Kripacharya

• Class: Rathayuthapayuthapah (Leader among leaders of Car-Divisions)
• Weapon(s): Bow & Arrow, Sword
• Named Kills: 3

Feats/Facts

Kripacharya is the posterchild of an incredibly powerful warrior who gets underrated by Quorans a lot. Placing him below Dhrishtadyumna is objectively wrong. Let’s examines Kripacharya’s feats throughout the Kurukshetra War

Kripacharya is mentioned to have all types of Brahma, Divine, and Asura Weapons (He had Brahmastra)

The
four
parts
of
dhanurveda250
are
today
established
in
Bhishma,
Drona,
Kripa
and
Drona’s son.251
They
know
all
types
of
brahma,
divine
and
asura
weapons,
how
to
release
them
and
how
to
counter
them. They
know
the
use
of
all
weapons
and
how
to
counter
them.

Kripacharya humiliated and defeated Dhrishtadyumna with ease

O
king!
Kripa
countered
Dhrishtadyumna
in
the
battle,
like
a
sharabha242
in
a
forest,
advancing
and
fighting against
a
proud
elephant.
O
descendant
of
the
Bharata
lineage!
Parshata
was
checked
by
the
powerful
Goutama and
could
not
advance
a
single
step.
On
witnessing
Goutama’s
form
advancing
towards
Dhrishtadyumna’s
chariot, all
the
beings
were
terrified
and
thought
that
he243
was
confronting
destruction.
The
rathas
and
riders
were
distressed
in
their
minds
and
said,
‘The
immensely
energetic
Sharadvata,
supreme
among
men,
is
certainly
extremely enraged
at
Drona’s
killing.
He
is
intelligent
and
skilled
in
the
use
of
divine
weapons.
Will
Dhrishtadyumna
be
safe today
from
Goutama?
Will
this
entire
army
be
freed
from
this
great
danger?
The
brahmana
will
kill
all
of
us
together.
His
severe
form
is
seen
to
be
like
that
of
the
Destroyer.
In
this
encounter,
he
will
follow
the
footsteps
of Bharadvaja’s
son.
The
preceptor244
is
light
in
the
use
of
his
hands
and
is
always
victorious
in
battle.
He
possesses the
valour
of
weapons
and
is
angry
as
well.
It
can
be
seen
that
Parshata
is
now
extremely
reluctant
to
fight.’
These and
other
words
were
spoken
by
those
on
your
side
and
on
the
side
of
the
enemy.
O
king!
Kripa
Sharadvata breathed
angrily
and
enveloped
Parshata,
who
was
immobile,
in
all
his
inner
organs.
In
that
encounter,
he
was struck
by
the
great-souled
Goutama.
He
was
supremely
confounded
in
that
battle
and
did
not
know
what
he
should do.
His
charioteer
said,
‘O
Parshata!
Are
you
fine?
I
have
never
seen
you
face
such
a
difficulty
in
a
battle.
These arrows
shot
by
that
foremost
among
brahmanas
are
capable
of
penetrating
the
inner
organs
and
are
directed
at
your inner
organs.
It
is
sheer
fortune
that
you
have
escaped.
I
will
withdraw
the
chariot
from
the
spot,
like
the
force
of
a river
driven
back
by
the
ocean.
Your
valour
has
been
destroyed
by
this
brahmana
and
I
think
that
he
cannot
be killed.’
O
king!
At
this,
Dhrishtadyumna
gently
spoke
these
words.
‘O
son!245
My
mind
has
gone
numb
and
there is
sweat
on
my
body.
Behold!
My
body
is
overcome
by
lassitude
and
my
body
hair
is
standing
up.
O
charioteer! Abandon
the
brahmana
in
the
battle
and
slowly
go
to
the
spot
where
Achyuta,
Arjuna
and
Bhimasena
are,
so
that
I may
obtain
safety
in
the
battle.
In
my
view,
that
is
what
we
should
do.’
O
great
king!
At
this,
the
charioteer
urged the
horses
towards
the
spot
where
the
great
archer,
Bhima,
was
fighting
with
your
soldiers.
O
venerable
one!
On seeing
that
Dhrishtadyumna’s
chariot
was
going
away,
Goutama
followed
it
and
showered
hundreds
of
arrows.
The scorcher
of
enemies
repeatedly
blew
on
his
conch
shell.
He
drove
away
Parshata,
like
the
great
Indra
against Shambara.

Kripacharya defeated Shikhandi and killed Suketu

Meanwhile,
in
the
encounter,
Sharadvata
Kripa
swiftly
dispatched
arrows
towards Shikhandi,
as
if
wishing
to
burn
him
down.
However,
with
his
sword,
he498
repeatedly
sliced
down
all
the
arrows that
were
embellished
with
gold
and
were
shot
at
him
from
all
directions,
while
they
were
still
in
mid-air.
At
this, Goutama
quickly
shattered
Parshata’s
shield,
which
was
decorated
with
the
marks
of
one
hundred
moons,
with
his arrows.
The
men
roared
loudly.
O
great
king!
Deprived
of
his
shield,
he
attacked
with
the
sword
in
his
hand.
But he
had
come
under
Kripa’s
control,
like
a
diseased
person
in
the
mouth
of
death.
The
immensely
strong
one
was afflicted
by
Sharadvata’s
fierce
arrows.
On
seeing
this,
Suketu,499
Chitraketu’s
son,
spiritedly
advanced.
In
the battle,
he
showered
the
brahmana
with
many
sharp
arrows.
The
one
whose
soul
was
immeasurable,
dashed
towards Goutama’s
chariot.
O
supreme
among
kings!
On
seeing
that
the
brahmana,
devoted
to
his
vows,
was
engaged
in
a fight
with
someone
else,
Shikhandi
quickly
withdrew.
O
king!
Suketu
struck
Goutama
with
nine
arrows,
pierced him
again
with
seventy,
and
struck
him
yet
again
with
three
arrows.
O
venerable
one!
He
next
severed
his500
bow, with
an
arrow
affixed
to
it.
With
another
arrow,
he
severely
struck
his
charioteer
in
the
inner
organs.
Goutama
became
angry
at
this
and
picked
up
another
new
bow
that
was
firm.
He
struck
Suketu
in
all
his
inner
organs
with
thirty
arrows.
All
his
limbs
were
weakened
and
he
wavered
on
that
supreme
chariot.
He
was
like
a
tree,
trembling
and moving
during
an
earthquake.
His
head
was
adorned
with
flaming
earrings.
It
had
a
headdress
and
a
helmet.
While he
was
moving,
he501
brought
it
down
with
a
kshurapra
arrow.
That
head
fell
down
on
the
ground,
like
a
piece
of meat
being
carried
by
a
hawk.
Thereafter,
the
head
was
dislodged
and
fell
down
on
the
ground.
O
great
king! When
he
was
slain,
those
who
followed
him
were
frightened.
They
abandoned
the
fight
with
Goutama
and
fled
in the
ten
directions.

Kripacharya defeated Shikhandi

Shikandi
sliced
down
Goutama’s
giant
bow
and
shot
many
arrows
at
him.
O
king!
Kripa
became angry
at
this
and
hurled
a
fierce
javelin.
The
shaft
was
golden
and
it
was
sharp
at
the
tip,
having
been
polished
by artisans.
As
it
descended,
Shikhandi
struck
it
down
with
many
arrows.
It
flamed
as
it
fell
down
on
the
ground,
dazzling
and
immensely
radiant.
O
great
king!
Goutama,
supreme
among
rathas,
picked
up
another
bow
and
shrouded Shikhandi
with
sharp
arrows.
Shikhandi,
supreme
among
rathas,
was
enveloped
in
that
encounter
by
the
illustrious Goutama
and
losing
his
senses,
sank
down
on
the
floor
of
his
chariot.
O
descendant
of
the
Bharata
lineage!
Beholding
that
he
had
become
unconscious
in
the
battle,
Sharadvata
Kripa
wished
to
kill
him
and
struck
him
with many
arrows.
Seeing
that
Yajnasena’s
maharatha
son
could
no
longer
fight
in
the
encounter,
the
Panchalas
and
the Somakas
surrounded
him
from
all
sides.

Kripacharya overpowered Dhrishtaketu

Dhrishtaketu
severed
the
many
kinds
of
arrows
Kripa
released
towards
him.
He
then
pierced
Kripa
with
seventy
arrows and
then
used
three
more
to
bring
down
the
sign
on
his
standard.
Kripa
countered
him
with
a
great
shower
of
arrows.
In
this
fashion,
in
that
battle,
the
brahmana78
countered
Dhrishtaketu

Kripacharya defeated Yudhamanyu

“Yudhamanyu
attacked
Kripa
and
quickly
severed
his
bow.
Kripa,
supreme
among
the
wielders
of
weapons, picked
up
another
bow.
He
brought
down
Yudhamanyu’s
standard,
charioteer,
umbrella
and
bow
on
the
ground. Maharatha
Yudhamanyu
withdrew
on
another
chariot.

Kripacharya overpowered Yudhishthira, killing his charioteer

‘
“At
this,
Kripa
used
six
arrows
to
slay
his (Yudhishthira’s)
charioteer,
who
fell
down
in
front
of
him.

Kripacharya most likely killed Vardhakshemi (It is mentioned that Kripa countered him, and this is the final mention of Vardhakshemi, with the next mention only mentioning him to be dead)

Sharadvata
Kripa
repulsed
Varshneya
Vardhakshemi
with
kshudraka
arrows,
as he
angrily
attacked
Drona
with
arrows.
Those
who
saw
Kripa
and
Varshneya
fight
in
that
wonderful
fashion
became
so
engrossed
in
that
encounter
that
they
forgot
about
doing
anything
else.

Kripacharya killed the son of Kuninda

The
elephants
were
beautifully
covered
with
nets
of
gold
and
looked
like
clouds
tinged
with
lightning.
Using ten
arrows
that
were
completely
made
out
of
iron,
the
son
of
Kuninda729
severely
struck
Kripa
and
his
charioteer. However,
slain
by
the
arrows
of
Sharadvata’s
son,
he
fell
down
on
the
ground,
together
with
his
elephant.

Kripacharya killed Abhimanyu’s wheel protectors

Bhoja115
killed
his
(Abhimanyu’s) horses
and
Goutama116
the
charioteers
who
guarded
his
flanks.

Verdict

We can conclude that Kripacharya is a level below warriors like Arjuna, Ghatotkacha, Satyaki, Bhima, and Abhimanyu, but a level above warriors like Yudhishthira, Dhrishtadyumna, etc.

Overall I don’t think he was really trying during the war at all. He is the only warrior to possess the brahmastra but never use it. He fought fairly throughout the war when compared to his fellow preceptor Drona and never abused Divyastras the way other major warriors did. He was holding back and revealed his true martial prowess by humiliating and easily defeating Dhrishtadyumna.