Vyasa (title)

Vyasa (Devanagari: व्यास, vyāsa) a.k.a. Veda Vyāsa (वेदव्यास, veda-vyāsa) is the title given to the Rishi (sage) who comes at the end of every Dvapara Yuga to divide and compile the one Veda into four and compile the Puranas and Mahabharata for the benefit of mankind in the degraded age that follows, Kali Yuga.[1] Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. In the 28th mahayuga (current), Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa was Vyasa, who's name refers to his complexion and birthplace, and who is believed to be a partial incarnation of Vishnu that occurs once in every kalpa.[2][3] In the upcoming 29th mahayuga, Guru Drona's son Rishi Aswatthama will be born as the next Vyasa.[4][5] In the previous 27th mahayuga, Veda Vyasa's father was Vyasa.

For other uses, see Vyasa (disambiguation).
Ashwatthama with Vyasa

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 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]

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]

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] 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. 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.

See also

Notes
  1. Horace Hayman Wilson 1840.The Vishnu Purana sacred-texts.com,Retrieved 2015-02-14
  2. Bhagavata Purana 1.4.14: (dvāpare samanuprāpte tṛtīye yuga-paryaye jātaḥ parāśarād yogī vāsavyāḿ kalayā hareḥ)
  3. Mahābhārata 12.350.4-5, K.M. Ganguly full edition
  4. H. H. Wilson. The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition (Translated from the Original Sanskrit),Hardcover – 31 Dec 2010,Sri Satguru Publications,ISBN 8170309166 Retrieved 2015-02-15
  5. Vishnu Purana -Drauni or Asvathama as Next Vyasa Retrieved 2015-03-22
  6. Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Puranas, Volume 1 (2001), page 1408
  7. "Vishnu Purana". Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  8. H. H. Wilson, M.A., F.R.S. The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition (Translated from the Original Sanskrit),Hardcover – 31 Dec 2010,Sri Satguru Publications,ISBN 8170309166 Retrieved 2015-02-15
  9. Horace Hayman Wilson 1840. The Vishnu Purana sacred-texts.com,Retrieved 2015-02-14
  10. Shanti Lal Nagar, Kurma Purana (Sanskrit Text with English Translation),Hardcover (Edition:2011),Parimal Publications,ISBN 9788171103263 ,Retrieved 2015-02-14
  11. J.L Shastri. The Siva Purana Full Volume ,HARDBACK Edition 2008,Motilal Banarsidass Publication ,ISBN 9788120803398 ISBN 8120803396,Retrieved 2015-02-14
  12. "Legacy of the Elder Gods" by M. Don Schorn, p.256
  13. William R. Levacy. Vedic Astrology Simply Put: An Illustrated Guide to the Astrology of Ancient India. Hay House. p. 18.
  14. Awakening Indians to India. Chinmaya Mission. 2008. p. 167. ISBN 81-7597-434-6.
  15. Editors of Hinduism. What Is Hinduism?: Modern Adventures Into a Profound Global Faith. Himalayan Academy Publications. p. 230. ISBN 1-934145-00-9.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  16. Vishnu Purana -Drauni or Asvathama as Next saptarishi Retrieved 2015-02-15
  17. K M Ganguly(1883-1896). The Mahabharata,Book 5 Udyoga Parva,Section CLXVIII sacred-texts.com,October 2003,Retrieved 2014-02-11
  18. K M Ganguly (1883-1896). The Mahabharata, Book 13 Anusasana Parva, SECTION CL sacred-texts.com, October 2003, Retrieved 2014-02-11
  19. K M Ganguly (1883-1896) The Mahabharata, Book 8 Karna Parva, SECTION 20 sacred-texts.com, October 2003, Retrieved 2014-02-11

References
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