SB 1.12.13
tasya prita-mana raja
viprair dhaumya-krpadibhih
jatakam karayam asa
vacayitva ca mangalam
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
King Yudhisthira, who was very satisfied with the birth of Maharaja Pariksit, had the purificatory process of birth performed. Learned brahmanas, headed by Dhaumya and Krpa, recited auspicious hymns.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
There is a need for a good and intelligent class of brahmanas who are expert in performing the purificatory processes prescribed in the system of varnasrama-dharma. Unless such purificatory processes are performed, there is no possibility of good population, and in the Age of Kali the population all over the world is of sudra quality or lower for want of this purificatory process. It is not possible, however, to revive the Vedic process of purification in this age, for want of proper facilities and good brahmanas, but there is the Pañcaratrika system also recommended for this age. The Pañcaratrika system acts on the sudra class of men, supposedly the population of the Kali-yuga, and it is the prescribed purificatory process suitable to the age and time. Such a purificatory process is allowed only for spiritual upliftment and not for any other purpose. Spiritual upliftment is never conditioned by higher or lower parentage.
After the garbhadhana purificatory process, there are certain other samskaras like simantonnayana, sadha-bhaksanam, etc., during the period of pregnancy, and when the child is born the first purificatory process is jata-karma. This was performed duly by Maharaja Yudhisthira with the help of good and learned brahmanas like Dhaumya, the royal priest, and Krpacarya, who was not only a priest but also a great general. Both these learned and perfect priests, assisted by other good brahmanas, were employed by Maharaja Yudhisthira to perform the ceremony. Therefore all the samskaras, purificatory processes, are not mere formalities or social functions only, but they are all for practical purposes and can be successfully performed by expert brahmanas like Dhaumya and Krpa. Such brahmanas are not only rare, but also not available in this age, and therefore, for the purpose of spiritual upliftment in this fallen age, the Gosvamis prefer the purificatory processes under Pañcaratrika formulas to the Vedic rites.
Krpacarya is the son of the great Rsi Sardban and was born in the family of Gautama. The birth is said to be accidental. By chance, the great Rsi Sardban met Janapadi, a famous society girl of heaven, and the Rsi Sardban discharged semen in two parts. By one part immediately a male child and by the other part a female child were born as twins. The male child was later on known as Krpa, and the female child was known as Krpi. Maharaja Santanu, while engaged in chase in the jungle, picked up the children and brought them up to the brahminical status by the proper purificatory process. Krpacarya later became a great general like Dronacarya, and his sister was married to Dronacarya. Krpacarya later on took part in the Battle of Kuruksetra and joined the party of Duryodhana. Krpacarya helped kill Abhimanyu, the father of Maharaja Pariksit, but he was still held in esteem by the family of the Pandavas due to his being as great a brahmana as Dronacarya. When the Pandavas were sent to the forest after being defeated in the gambling game with Duryodhana, Dhrtarastra entrusted the Pandavas to Krpacarya for guidance. After the end of the battle, Krpacarya again became a member of the royal assembly, and he was called during the birth of Maharaja Pariksit for recitation of auspicious Vedic hymns to make the ceremony successful. Maharaja Yudhisthira, while quitting the palace for his great departure to the Himalayas, entrusted Krpacarya with Maharaja Pariksit as his disciple, and he left home satisfied because of Krpacarya’s taking charge of Maharaja Pariksit. The great administrators, kings and emperors were always under the guidance of learned brahmanas like Krpacarya and thus were able to act properly in the discharge of political responsibilities.