Vyasa

Vyasa, also known as Krishna Dvaipayana or Veda Vyasa, is the legendary sage traditionally credited with composing the Mahabharata, one of the two great Sanskrit epics of ancient India. According to tradition, he was born on an island in the Yamuna river and was the son of the sage Parashara and the fisherwoman Satyavati. Vyasa is also attributed with compiling and arranging the four Vedas into their current form, earning the title 'Veda Vyasa' or 'splitter of the Vedas.' He plays a unique dual role as both the author and a character within the Mahabharata, appearing at critical moments in the narrative.

The Mahabharata, featured on this site in Kisari Mohan Ganguli's English prose translation (1883-1896), is the longest epic poem ever written, spanning over 200,000 verses (shlokas) organized into 18 books (Parvas). It tells the story of the great Kurukshetra war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, but encompasses a vast range of philosophical, religious, and moral teachings — including the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most influential spiritual texts in history. Vyasa's work has shaped the religious, cultural, and literary imagination of South Asia and beyond for over two millennia.