Vyasa
Author of the Mahabharata
The legendary sage who composed the Mahabharatam, divided the Vedas into four parts, and wrote the eighteen Puranas. Grandfather of both the Pandavas and Kauravas.
- Sanskrit/Telugu name: వ్యాసుడు
- Also known as: Veda Vyasa, Krishna Dvaipayana, Badarayana
- Symbols: Quill and palm leaf, Divided Vedas, Sacred thread
Story
Vyasa Maharshi is perhaps the most important figure in all of Hindu literature. His birth name was Krishna Dvaipayana, "the dark one born on an island." He was the son of sage Parashara and Satyavati, a fisherwoman. From birth, he was extraordinarily wise and devoted himself to tapas in the forests. His greatest contribution was organizing the vast, formless body of Vedic knowledge into the four Vedas we know today: Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. This act earned him the title "Veda Vyasa," meaning "the one who divided the Vedas." He then composed the Mahabharatam, the longest epic poem ever written, containing over 100,000 shlokas. When he needed a scribe fast enough to keep up with his dictation, he called upon Ganesha, who agreed on the condition that Vyasa never pause. Vyasa agreed, but cleverly inserted complex verses that made Ganesha pause to understand them, giving Vyasa time to compose the next section. Vyasa was also the biological grandfather of both the Pandavas and the Kauravas through Niyoga, making the Mahabharatam literally a family history. He appears throughout the epic at crucial moments, offering counsel and prophecy. He also composed all eighteen Maha Puranas and the Brahma Sutras. In Telugu literary tradition, Vyasa is revered as the Adi Kavi (first poet). Telugu poets like Nannaya, who first translated the Mahabharatam into Telugu, paid tribute to Vyasa before beginning their work. Guru Purnima, celebrated across Telugu homes, honors Vyasa as the greatest guru.
Fun fact
Vyasa composed the Mahabharatam with Ganesha as his scribe. Ganesha wrote so fast that he broke his own tusk to use as a pen when his regular stylus snapped. This is celebrated in the image of Ganesha holding a broken tusk.
Family and connections
- Teacher: Ganesha (Dictated to)