Vyasa (title)

Vyasa (Devanagari: व्यास, vyāsa) is the title given to the sage or Rishi who divides the Hindu holy scripture Vedas in every Dvapara Yuga of every Yuga cycle.^[1] Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyāsa (वेदव्यास, veda-vyāsa), the one who divides the Vedas into four parts. The name of Rishi who currently holds the Vyasa title is Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa, referring to his complexion and birthplace and sometimes he is simply called Vyasa. According to Hindu beliefs, Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa is an incarnation of the god Vishnu. During each Dvapara Yuga, in every Kalpa, Lord takes incarnation as Veda Vyasa and effects the division of Vedas for the benefit of human beings.^[2][3] Guru Drona's son Rishi Aswatthama will become the next Vyasa, who in turn divide the Veda in 29th Mahayuga of 7th Manvantara.^[4][5]

Past Vyasa

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The Vishnu Purana has a theory about Vyasa.^[6] The Hindu view of the universe is that of a cyclic phenomenon that comes into existence and dissolves repeatedly. Each cycle is presided over by a number of Manus, one for each Manvantara, that has four ages, Yugas of declining virtues. The Dvapara Yuga is the third Yuga. The Vishnu Purana (Book 3, Ch 3) says:

Twenty-eight times have the Vedas been arranged by the great Rishis in the Vaivasvata Manvantara... and consequently eight and twenty Vyasas have passed away; by whom, in the respective periods, the Veda has been divided into four^[7]

During every Dvapara Yuga of the present Vaivasvat Manvantara, different Vyasas have divided the Vedas twenty-eight times. During the first Dvapara Yuga,Lord Brahma himself divided the Vedas. During the second Dvapara Yuga, Prajapati was Veda Vyasa. During the third Dwapar, Shukracharya was Veda Vyasa. During fourth Dwapar, Brihaspati acted as Veda Vyasa.Description of other sages who acted as Veda Vyasa during the subsequent Dvapara Yuga is as follows- Surya- fifth Veda Vyasa; Mrityu- sixth Veda Vyasa, Indra- seventh Veda Vyasa, Vashishta- eighth Veda Vyasa, Saraswat- ninth Veda Vyasa, Tridhama- tenth Veda Vyasa, Trishikh- eleventh Veda Vyasa, Bharadwaj- twelfth Veda Vyasa, Antariksh- thirteenth Veda Vyasa, Varani- fourteenth Veda Vyasa. Names of next fourteen Veda Vyasas are as follows- Trayyarun, Dhananjay, Krutunjay, Jay, Bharadwaj, Gautam, Haryatma, Vajshrava, Trinbindhu, Valmiki, Shakti, Parashar, Jatukarn and Krishna Dwaipayan. After Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa, Drona's son, Ashwatthama will be the next Veda Vyasa^[7]

^[8][9]

From Kurma Purana ,In every Dvapara Yuga , a Veda Vyasa is born so as to divide the Vedas and disseminate their knowledge. In the present era, there have been twenty eight Dvapara Yuga and therefore been twenty eight individuals who have held the title of Veda Vyasa. The Kurma Purana gives their names as follows.

(1) Svayambhuva Manu (2) Prajapati (3) Ushana (4) Brihaspati (5) Savita (6) Mrityu (7) Indra (8) Vashishtha (9) Sarasvata (10) Tridhama (11) Rishabha (12) Suteja (13) Dharma (14) Sachaksha (15) Trayaruni (16) Dhananjaya (17) Kritanjaya (18) Ritanjaya (19) Bharadvaja (20) Goutamaa (21) Vachashrava (22) Nara-Narayana (23) Trinavindu (24) Valmiki (25) Shaktri. (26) Parashara (27) Jatukarna (28) Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa and in the next the next Dvapara Yuga , Guru Drona's son Rishi Aswatthama or Drauni will become the next Vyasa

Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa divided the Vedas into four parts and taught them to four of his disciples. He taught Paila the Rig Veda. Vaishampayana the Yajur Veda, Jaimini the Sama Veda and Sumantu the Atharva Veda. As for the Puranas, they were taught to Lomaharshana.^[10]

In Shiva Purana it mentions various incarnations of Vyasa and Lord Siva .In Varaha Kalpa of the Seventh Manvantara, Lord Vishnu illuminated all the three world by his divine presence. This seventh Manvantara consisted of four yugas which repeated themselves in a cyclic way for twelve times.The first dwapar of this seventh manvantara saw the manifestation of lord Shiva for the welfare of the Brahmins. When Kali Yuga arrived Lord Shiva again manifested himself along with goddess Shakti and was known as Mahamuni Shweta. Lord Brahma had the privilege of becoming his disciple.During the second dwapar, sage Vyasa existed as Satya, Prajapati and Lord Shiva became famous as Sutar. Lord Shiva in his incarnation of Sutra had many disciples among whom Dundubhi was very famous.During the third dwapar sage Vyasa took his incarnation as Bhargava and lord Shiva became famous as Daman. Lord Shiva in his incarnation as Daman had four disciples among whom Vishoka was very famous. When Kali Yuga arrived after this third dwapar. Lord Shiva along with his Disciples helped Sage Vyasa.During the fourth Dwapar Sage Vyasa took his incarnation as Angira and Lord Shiva as Suhotra. Even in this incarnation Lord Shiva had four disciples among whom Sumukh was very famous. Lord Shiva along with his disciples helped Angira. During the fifth dwapar sage Vyasa took incarnation as Savita and Lord Shiva as 'Kanka' who was very famous for his tremendous austerities. Kanka had four disciples among whom Sanak was very famous.During the sixth dwapar sage Vyasa took incarnation as Mrityu and Lord Shiva as 'Lokakshi'. Lokakshi had four disciples among whom Sudhama was very prominent. During the seventh dwapar sage Vyasa manifested himself as Indra and Lord Shiva as Jaigisatya. Jaigisatya had four disciples among whom Saraswat was very prominent.During the eighth dwapar sage Vyasa took incarnation as Vashishtha and Lord Shiva as Dadhivahan. Dadhivahan had four disciples among whom Kapila was very famous. During the ninth dwapar sage Vyasa took incarnation as Saraswat and Lord Shiva as 'Rishabh'. Lord Shiva in his incarnation as Rishabhdeva had four disciples among whom Parashar was very famous.^[11]

Current Vyasa

Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa lived around the 3rd millennium BCE.^[12][13] The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to him. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas.^[14][15] There are two different views regarding his birthplace. One of the views suggests that he was born in the Tanahun district in western Nepal, other view suggests that he was born on Island in Yamuna river near Kalpi, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is the author of the Mahabharata, as well as a character in it. He is considered to be the scribe of both the Vedas and Puranas.

Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjivins (long lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to general Hindu belief. Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa will also become one of the Saptarishi in the 8th Manvantara along with sage Kripa ,sage Aswatthama and sage Parashurama^[16]

Future Vyasa

Ashwatthama or Drauni was the son of guru Drona.Drona did many years of severe penance to please Lord Siva in order to obtain a son who possesses the same valiance as of Lord Siva. Aswatthama is the avatar of one of the eleven Rudras and he is one of the seven Chiranjivi or the immortal ones.He is the grandson of the Brahmin sage Bharadwaja. Ashwatthama is a mighty Maharathi^[17] who fought on the Kaurava side against the Pandavas in Mahabharata war. Aswatthama along with his maternal uncle Kripa is believed to be the lone survivors still living who actually fought in the kurukshetra war.^[18] Along with sage Parashurama ,sage Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa and sage Kripa, Aswatthama is considered to be foremost among the rishis in Kaliyuga.^[19] Aswatthama will become the next sage Vyasa, who in turn divide the Veda in 29th Mahayuga of 7th Manvantara. Aswatthama will also become one of the Saptarishi in the 8th Manvantara along with sage Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa, sage Kripa and sage Parashurama.^[16] Like Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, and Arjuna, he is a master of the science of weapons and is regarded as the foremost among warriors.^[20] Aswatthama studied Dhanurveda or martial arts and Brahmavidya or the science of the self or Atma from Lord Parasurama, Maharishi Durvasa, Maharishi Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa, Bhishma, Kripa and Drona. Aswatthama is the master of all forms of knowledge and possesses complete mastery over 64 forms of arts or Kalas and 18 Vidyas or branches of knowledge.

See also

• Guru Gita
• Parashara
• Mahabharata

Notes

References

• The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, published between 1883 and 1896
• The Arthashastra, translated by Shamasastry, 1915
• The Vishnu-Purana, translated by H. H. Wilson, 1840
• The Bhagavata-Purana, translated by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, 1988 copyright Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
• The Jataka or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births, edited by E. B. Cowell, 1895

External links

• Quotations related to Vyasa (title) at Wikiquote
• Media related to Vyasa at Wikimedia Commons
• Srîmad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), The Story of the Fortunate One (complete)
• The Mahābhārata – Ganguli translation, full text at sacred-texts.com
• Vedanta Sutras of Vyasa with Shankara Bhashya