Vyasa (title)

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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 kalpa cycle is presided over by a number of Manus, one for each manvantara, and each manvantara has a number of Yuga Cycles, each having four yuga ages 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. The names of those who acted as Vyasa:[7][8][9]

1. Lord Brahma
2. Prajapati
3. Shukracharya
4. Brihaspati
5. Surya
6. Mrityu
7. Indra
8. Vashishta
9. Saraswat
10. Tridhama
11. Trishikh
12. Bharadwaj
13. Antariksh
14. Varani
15. Trayyarun
16. Dhananjay
17. Krutunjay
18. Jay
19. Bharadwaj
20. Gautam
21. Haryatma
22. Vajshrava
23. Trinbindhu
24. Valmiki
25. Shakti
26. Parashar
27. Jatukarn
28. Krishna Dwaipayan
29. Ashwatthama, Drona's son (next Dvapara Yuga)

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 Yugas 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
29. Aswatthama or Drauni, Drona's son (next Dvapara Yuga)

Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa divided the Vedas into four parts and taught them to four of his disciples. He taught:[10]

• Paila the Rig Veda
• Vaishampayana the Yajur Veda
• Jaimini the Sama Veda
• Sumantu the Atharva Veda
• Lomaharshana the Puranas

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.

1. The first Dvapara Yuga, 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.
2. During the second Dvapara, 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.
3. During the third Dvapara, 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 Dvapara. Lord Shiva along with his Disciples helped Sage Vyasa.
4. During the fourth Dvapara, 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.
5. During the fifth Dvapara, 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.
6. During the sixth Dvapara, sage Vyasa took incarnation as Mrityu and Lord Shiva as 'Lokakshi'. Lokakshi had four disciples among whom Sudhama was very prominent.
7. During the seventh Dvapara, sage Vyasa manifested himself as Indra and Lord Shiva as Jaigisatya. Jaigisatya had four disciples among whom Saraswat was very prominent.
8. During the eighth Dvapara, sage Vyasa took incarnation as Vashishtha and Lord Shiva as Dadhivahan. Dadhivahan had four disciples among whom Kapila was very famous.
9. During the ninth Dvapara, 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]

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] 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]

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. Along with sage Parashurama ,sage Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa and sage Kripa, Aswatthama is considered to be foremost among the rishis in Kali Yuga.[18] 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.[19] 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.

• Guru Gita
• Parashara
• Mahabharata

• 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

• 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