Vyasa

Vyasa (/ˈvjɑːsə/; Sanskrit: व्यास, lit. 'compiler, arranger', IAST: Vyāsa) is a rishi (sage) with a prominent role in most Hindu traditions. He is also known as Veda Vyasa (Sanskrit: वेदव्यास, lit. 'the one who classified the Vedas', IAST: Vedavyāsa) or Krishna Dvaipayana (Sanskrit: कृष्णद्वैपायन, IAST: Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana). Traditionally regarded as the author of the epic Mahābhārata, Vyasa also plays a prominent role as a character. He is also regarded by the Hindu traditions to be the compiler of the mantras of the Vedas into four texts, as well as the author of the eighteen Purāṇas and the Brahma Sutras.

Vyasa is regarded by many Hindus as a partial incarnation (Sanskrit: अंशावतार, IAST: Aṃśāvatāra) of Vishnu. He is one of the immortals called the Chiranjivis, held by adherents to still be alive in the current age known as the Kali Yuga.

"Vyasa" (Vyāsa) means "compiler" or "arranger and also "separation" or "division." Other meanings include "split," "differentiate," or "describe." It is also a title, given to "a holy sage or a pious learned man," and is applied to "persons distinguished for their writings."

Vyasa is commonly known as "Veda Vyasa" (Sanskrit: वेदव्यास, Vedavyāsa) as he divided the single, eternal Veda into four separate books—Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda. In the Mahabharata, Vyasa is also called Krishna, which refers to his dark complexion (krishna), and as Dvaipāyana, as his birthplace was on an island (dvaipayana).

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

The Vishnu Puraṇa elaborates on the role of Vyasa in the Hindu chronology. 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 with four yuga ages of declining virtues. The Dvapara Yuga is the third yuga. The Vishṇu Puraṇa (Book 3, Ch 3) says:

In every third world age (Dvāpara), Vishnu, in the person of Vyāsa, in order to promote the good of mankind, divides the Veda, which is properly but one, into many portions. Observing the limited perseverance, energy and application of mortals, he makes the Veda fourfold, to adapt it to their capacities; and the bodily form which he assumes, in order to effect that classification, is known by the name of Vedavyāsa. Of the different Vyāsas in the present Manvantara and the branches which they have taught, you shall have an account. Twenty-eight times have the Vedas been arranged by the great Rishis in the Vaivasvata Manvantara [...] and consequently, eight and twenty Vyāsa's have passed away; by whom, in the respective periods, the Veda has been divided into four. The first... distribution was made by Svayambhū (Brahmā) himself; in the second, the arranger of the Veda (Vyasa) was Prajāpati [...] (and so on up to twenty-eight).

According to the Vishṇu Purāṇa, Aśwatthāmā, the son of Droṇa, will become the next sage (Vyāsa) and will divide the Veda in 29th Mahā Yuga of 7th Manvantara.