What is "kritavarma"

Kritavarma (, ) was an important and one of the bravest Yadava warriors and chieftain, and a contemporary of Krishna. He finds mention in several ancient Sanskrit texts including the Mahābhārata, the Vishnu Purana, the Bhagavata Purana and the Harivamsa.

According to the Puranas, he was born in the most fearless Andhaka clan of the mighty Yadavas, and son of Hŗidika. Though he is depicted as a devotee of Krishna in the Vishnu Purana, apparently he was not in good terms with Krishna, and was one of the conspirators who plotted to kill Satrajit, Krishna's father-in-law during the Syamantaka Jewel episode.

During the great battle at Kurukshetra, Kritavarma was an ally of the Kauravas against the Pandavas and led the Yadava army (also called the Narayani Sena). He was one of the three survivors of the entire Kaurava army and had helped Ashwatthama in carrying out his night attack on Panchala warriors, in which the latter had slaughtered among others, Dhrishtadyumna (the Pandava commander-in-chief), Shikhandi and the five sons of Draupadi. The event is described in the Sauptika Parva of the Mahābhārata. He returned to his kingdom after the war and was later killed by Satyaki in Dwarka during the final departure of the Yadavas, as we find in the Mausala Parva of the Mahābhārata.