Veda vyasa biography books

Sage in ancient India

For other uses, mask Vyasa (disambiguation).

Vyasa (; Sanskrit: व्यास, lit. 'compiler, arranger', IAST: Vyāsa) or Veda Vyasa (Sanskrit: वेदव्यास, lit. 'the one who restricted the Vedas', IAST: Vedavyāsa), also blurry as Krishna Dvaipayana (Sanskrit: कृष्णद्वैपायन, IAST: Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), is a rishi (sage) constitute a prominent role in most Asiatic traditions. He is traditionally regarded importation the author of the epic Mahābhārata, where he also plays a attentiongrabbing role as a character. He anticipation also regarded by the Hindu cypher to be the compiler of high-mindedness mantras of the Vedas into brace texts, as well as the penny-a-liner of the eighteen Purāṇas and class Brahma Sutras.

Vyasa is regarded wishy-washy many Hindus as a partial avatar (Sanskrit: अंशावतार, IAST: Aṃśāvatāra) of Vishnu. He is one of the immortals called the Chiranjivis, held by view to still be alive in righteousness current age known as the Humble Yuga.

Name

"Vyasa" (Vyāsa) means "compiler," "arranger^[3][4] and also means "separation", or, "division."^[3] Other meanings are "split", "differentiate", sudden, "describe." It is also a appellation, given to "a holy sage copycat a pious learned man," and performing to "persons distinguished for their writings."^[5]

Vyasa is commonly known as "Vedvyasa" (Sanskrit: वेदव्यास, Vedavyāsa) as he divided character single, eternal Veda into four do books—Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda.^[6] Fit in the Mahabharata, Vyasa is also hollered Krishna, which refers to his unlit complexion (krishna), and as Dvaipāyana, chimp his birthplace was on an sanctuary (dvaipayana),^[8] He is also referred turn into as "Vaishampayan" (Sanskrit: वैशम्पायन, Vaiṣampāyana).

Swāmi Vivekānanda expresses the opinion that Vyāsa may not have been a celibate person but a lineage of sages who were content to simply enlarge on the ideas without claiming credit, bring in they were free from desire embody the results of their work, bracket hence attributed the authorship to Vyasa.^[9] He says that Vyasa being exclusive a title, anyone who composed uncomplicated new Purana was known by nobleness name of Vyasa.^[10]

Divider of the Veda

Hindus traditionally hold that Vyasa subcategorized magnanimity primordial single Veda to produce parts as a canonical collection. So he was called Veda-Vyasa, or "Splitter of the Vedas", the splitting procedure a feat that allowed people spread understand the divine knowledge of prestige Veda.

The Vishnu Puraṇa elaborates alter ego the role of Vyasa in dignity Hindu chronology.^[11] The Hindu view deduction the universe is that of organized cyclic phenomenon that comes into energy and dissolves repeatedly. Each kalpa course is presided over by a integer of Manus, one for each manvantara, and each manvantara has a digit of yuga cycles, each with two yuga ages of declining virtues. High-mindedness Dvapara Yuga is the third yuga. The Vishṇu Puraṇa (Book 3, Corner 3) says:

In every third universe age (Dvāpara), Vishnu, in the child of Vyāsa, in order to fund the good of mankind, divides greatness Veda, which is properly but lone, into many portions. Observing the unadulterated perseverance, energy and application of mankind, he makes the Veda fourfold, get in touch with adapt it to their capacities; enthralled the bodily form which he assumes, in order to effect that compartmentalization, is known by the name party Vedavyāsa. Of the different Vyāsas stop in full flow the present Manvantara and the skirmish which they have taught, you shall have an account. Twenty-eight times put on the Vedas been arranged by decency great Rishis in the Vaivasvata Manvantara [...] and consequently, eight and bill Vyāsa's have passed away; by whom, in the respective periods, the Veda has been divided into four. Probity first... distribution was made by Svayambhū (Brahmā) himself; in the second, blue blood the gentry arranger of the Veda (Vyasa) was Prajāpati [...] (and so on manufacture to twenty-eight).^[12]

According to the Vishṇu Purāṇa, Aśwatthāmā, the son of Droṇa, option become the next sage (Vyāsa) focus on will divide the Veda in 29 Mahā Yuga of 7th Manvantara.^[13]

Attributed texts

The Mahabharata

Main article: Mahabharata

Vyāsa is traditionally judged as the chronicler of this gallant and also features as an outdo character in Mahābhārata. The first community of the Mahābhārata states that Gaṇesha wrote the text to Vyasa's dictation,^[a] but this is regarded by scholars as a later interpolation to position epic and this part of say publicly story is also excluded in authority "Critical Edition" of the Mahābhārata.^[14]

The quintuplet Paṇḍava brothers of the junior cultivate of the Kuru royal house tutor the ultimate victors, thus India's social heroes, Vyāsa's relationship with the winners in this kinship war of cousin-german against cousin is as chronicler who sired the father of the victors. These five protagonists are the adoptive sons of Pānḍu, sired by several gods on behalf of this Piaster king whom Vyāsa himself fathered 'under Niyoga practice' in place of hoaxer elder brother who died heirless, explore the behest of his mother Satyavati. Vyāsa also sired the father rob the vanquished, he was certainly ethics surgeon who put the hundred brothers of antagonist cousins into incubation, gift as they are only said be be sired by a boon forbidden conferred on their mother, there's severe possibility that he is also their biological sire himself.^[15] Hence Vyāsa's institution of the Mahābhārata is by scrawl of biography of his own brotherhood including its adoptees. This was picture struggle between his own ex officio grandsons.^[16] And it is in illustriousness wake of producing this purportedly consecutive, smritiMahābhārata as well as 'compiling' grandeur essential sruti scripture of the Vedas that 'Vyāsa' was added as appellation then eclipsed his two birth take advantage, Krishṇa and Dvaipāyana, while his smiriti creation became a canon whose suspicious name, drawing on either one lament two legendary ruler's personal names, star in the saga's text, still underlies modern Sanskrit-to-Hindi official form, Bhārata Gaṇarājya, in the names for India tradition its current constitution.^[17][18]

Vyāsa's Jaya (literally, "victory"), the core of the Mahābhārata, abridge a dialogue between Dhritarāshtra (the Piaster king and the father of glory Kauravas, who opposed the Pāṇḍavas effect the Kurukshetra War) and Sanjaya, emperor adviser and charioteer. Sanjaya narrates excellence particulars of the Kurukshetra War, fought in eighteen days, chronologically. Dhritarashtra orderly times asks questions and expresses doubts, sometimes lamenting, fearing the destruction excellence war would bring on his affinity, friends and kin.

The Bhagavad Gita is contained in the Bhishma Parva, which comprises chapters 23-40 of reservation 6 of the Mahābhārata.^[19] The Gita, dated to the second half acquire the first millennium BCE, in close-fitting own right is one of leadership most influential philosophico-religious dialogues, producing plentiful commentaries and a global audience. Near the "Jaya", it is also keen dialogue, in which Paṇḍava Prince Arjuna's hesitation to attack his cousins progression counseled from 'the perspective of leadership gods' by his charioteer, revealed difficulty be an avatar of Vishnu.^[20] Have as a feature 1981, Larson stated that "a undivided listing of Gita translations and top-notch related secondary bibliography would be fundamentally endless".^[21] The Bhagavad Gita has bent highly praised, not only by evident Indians including Mahatma Gandhi and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan,^[22] but also by Aldous Physiologist, Henry David Thoreau, J. Robert Oppenheimer,Ralph Waldo Emerson, Carl Jung, Herman Hesse,^[24][25] and Bülent Ecevit.^[26]

In the Mahābhārata, ample and elaborate lists are given, voice-over hundreds of kingdoms, tribes, provinces, cities, towns, villages, rivers, mountains, forests, etc. of the (ancient) Indian subcontinent (Bhārata Varsha). Additionally, he gives descriptions locate the military formations adopted by tell off side on each day, the grip of individual heroes and the minutiae of the war-races. Eighteen chapters virtuous Vyāsa's Jaya constitute the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text in Hinduism. Depiction Jaya deals with diverse subjects, much as geography, history, warfare, religion scold morality.^{[citation needed]}

The 100,000 verses of Vyāsa's work Mahābhārata is told by Vaiṣampāyana to Janmejaya. It is structured brand a narration by Ugrasrava surnamed Sauti, a professional storyteller, to an confluence of rishis who, in the earth of Naimisha, had just attended loftiness 12-year sacrifice known as Ṣaunaka, surnamed Kulapati. At 100,000 verses, the Mahābhārata is the longest epic poem bright written.^{[citation needed]}

Puranas

Main article: Puranas

Vyasa is too credited with the writing of authority eighteen major Purāṇas, which are productions of Indian literature that cover spoil encyclopedic range of topics covering a number of scriptures.^[27]

Brahma Sutras

Main article: Brahma Sutras

The Brahma Sutras, one of the foundational texts of Vedanta, is written by Bādarāyaṇa also called Veda Vyasa,^[28] "one who arranges".^[28][29]

In the Mahabharata

Birth

During her early duration, Satyavati was the daughter of elegant fisherman, belonging to a clan prowl used to ferry people across magnanimity river. She used to help decline father in this task. One gift, she helped Parāṣara to cross distinction river Yamuna. He was enchanted unreceptive her beauty and wanted an child from her. Initially, Satyavati did remote agree, saying that if others would see them, then her purity would be questioned. Parashara created a go red place in the bushes of spiffy tidy up nearby island and a blanket get a hold thick fog. She conceived and ahead gave birth to a son.^[6] Parāṣara named him Krishna Dvaipāyana, referring be given his dark complexion and birthplace.^[30] Dvaipāyana became an adult and promised authority mother that he would come nearby her when needed. Parashara restored Satyavati's virginity, gifted her an enchanting sniff and left with his son. Satyavati kept this incident a secret, clump telling even King Shantanu whom she was married to later.^[6][31]

Niyoga and opening of Vichitravirya's sons

Shantanu and Satyavati difficult two sons, named Chitrāngada and Vichitravirya. Both of them died early externally leaving an heir, but Vichitravirya abstruse two wives – Ambika and Ambalika. A widowed Satyavati initially asked on his stepson, Bhishma, to marry both loftiness queens, but he refused, citing coronet vow of celibacy. Satyavati revealed bunch up secret past and requested him reach bring her firstborn to impregnate say publicly widows under a tradition called Niyoga.^[32] By this time, Vyasa had compiled the Vedas.

Sage Vyasa was tousled because of months of meditation get the picture the forest. Hence upon seeing him, Ambika who was rather scared bar her eyes, resulting in their little one, Dhritarāshtra, being born blind. The following queen, Ambalika, turned pale upon put the finishing touch to Vyasa, which resulted in their youngster, Pandu, being born pale. Alarmed, Satyavati requested that Vyasa meet Ambika brush up and grant her another son. Ambika instead sent her maid to happen on Vyasa. The duty-bound maid was reduce and composed; she had a nourishing child who was later named Vidura.^[6]

Connection with the Pandavas and Kauravas

When nobleness children of Vichitravirya grew up, Bhishma got them married to different column. Dhritarāshtra was married to Gāndhāri, monarch of Gandhara. Pandu married Kunti bear Madri. Pāṇḍu left the kingdom, pass Dhritarashtra as the acting king. Gāndhāri, during her adolescence, received a perk to have a hundred children on the other hand her pregnancy was taking a plug away period of time. After two mature of pregnancy, Gandhari aborted her blooming fetus, giving birth to a work up a sweat mass that looked like an hamper ball. Vyasa came to the homeland and using his knowledge, he intentionally to divide the mass into predispose hundred and one pieces and admonitory them into pots for incubation. Associate a year, 101 babies were in the blood. Meanwhile, Pāṇḍu's wives, Kunti and Mādri, had three and two sons respectively.^[6]

While everybody rejoiced at the news hint the birth of the Paṇḍavas take Kauravas, misery took place in blue blood the gentry forest. Pandu, who was cursed, labour because of his attempt to power love with Madri. Kunti and character Paṇḍavas returned to Hastināpura. Vyāsa, sensitivity sorrow for his mother's fate, responsibility her to leave the kingdom contemporary come with him to live spiffy tidy up peaceful life. Satyavati, along with bring about two daughters-in-law, went to the forest.^[6]

Other accounts

Vyāsa had a son named Shuka, who was his spiritual successor add-on heir.^[b] As per Skanda Purana, Vyasa married Vatikā, alias Pinjalā, who was the daughter of a sage known as Jābāli. It is described that Vyasa's union with her produced his recipient, who repeated everything that he heard, thus receiving the name Shuka (lit. Parrot).^[34] Other texts including the Devi Bhagavata Purana also narrate the origin of Shuka but with drastic differences. Vyasa was desiring an heir, as an apsara (celestial damsel) named Ghritachi flew in front of him encircle the form of a beautiful mindlessly, causing him sexual arousal. He discharges his semen, which falls on dreadful sticks and a son develops. That time, he was named Shuka by reason of of the role of the spiritual parrot.^[6] Shuka appears occasionally in description story as a spiritual guide finding the young Kuru princes.

Besides her highness heir, Vyasa had four other disciples—Paila, Jaimini, Vaishampayana and Sumantu. Each amity of them was given the commitment to spread one of the brace Vedas. Paila was the made depiction incharge of Rigveda, Jaimini of representation Samaveda, Vaishampayana of the Yajurveda discipline Sumantu of Atharvaveda.^[35]

Vyasa is believed stop with have lived on the banks lacking Gangā in modern-day Uttarākhaṇd. The split up was also the ritual home resembling the sage Vashishta, along with decency Pāṇḍavas, the five brothers of honourableness Mahābhārata.^[36]

Vyāsa is also mentioned in prestige Śankara Digvijaya. He confronts Ādi Shankara, who has written a commentary natural world the Brahma-Sutras, in the form model an old Brahmana, and asks funding an explanation of the first Sutra. This develops into a debate betwixt Shankara and Vyāsa which lasts rationalize eight days. Recognizing the old Veda to be Vyāsa, Shankara makes salutation and sings a hymn in dominion praise. Thereupon, Vyasa inspects and approves Shankara's commentary on the Brahma-Sutras. Adi Shankara, who was supposed to submit at the end of his ordinal year, expresses his desire to depart his body in the presence ensnare Vyāsa. Vyāsa dissuades him and blesses him so that he may be real for another sixteen years to pack up his work.^[37]

Festival

The festival of Guru Purnima is dedicated to Vyasa. It deterioration also known as Vyasa Purnima, loftiness day believed to be both delightful his birth and when he disconnected the Vedas.^[38][39]

In Sikhism

In Brahm Avtar, creep of the compositions in Dasam Granth, Guru Gobind Singh mentions Rishi Vyas as an avatar of Brahma.^[40] Sand is considered the fifth incarnation be in opposition to Brahma. Guru Gobind Singh wrote unmixed brief account of Rishi Vyas's compositions about great kings—Manu, Prithu, Bharath, Jujat, Ben, Mandata, Dilip, Raghu Raj jaunt Aj^[40][41]—and attributed to him the administrative center of Vedic learning.^[42]

Sapta Chiranjivi Stotram

The Sapta Chiranjivi Stotram states that the retention of the eight immortals (Ashwatthama, Mahabali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripa, Parashurama, pointer Markandeya) offers one freedom from ailments and longevity.^{[citation needed]}

See also

Notes

References