I have a Mahabharata related question based on Prabhupada’s purport to SB 1.12.13. Srila Prabhupada mentions that Krpacarya helped to kill Abhimanyu and then was later entrusted to perform the birth ceremony for Abhimanyu’s son, Maharaja Pariksit, and to guide him spiritually when Yudhisthira left for the Himalayas. Do you have any insight as to why Krpacarya would be still be trusted, esteemed and appointed as Maharaja Pariksit’s guru after helping to kill his father?

Good question. Here are a few points:

1. It seems that there is truly a different culture among warriors, for whom fighting and killing is equivalent to our yelling at or criticizing each other.
2. Abhimanyu was destroying the Kaurava army, apparently killing 3/4’s of an akshauhini. Krpa and Drona killed his horses and charioteer to stop his rampage but did not attack him personally.
3. After Kuruksetra there was a global need for peace and reconciliation, so engaging Krpa was undoubtedly part of the reconciliation process.