Indian/Vedic mythology speaks of many Vyasa (Vyasa Meaning = Translator); and it is said that there had been 28 Vyasas before the present Vyasa also called as: “Krishna Dwaipayana” – took his birth at the end of Dwapara Yuga (Yuga means Period/Cycles). Krishna Dvaipayana was born of Parasara Rishi (Father) through Satyavathi Devi (Mother) – under some peculiar and wonderful circumstances. Parasara had possessed immense knowledge and was one of the supreme authorities on astrology, a book written by him called as: “Parasara Hora” & is still a textbook used even in the modern astrology. He has also written a Smriti known as Parasara Smriti which is held in such high esteem that it is quoted by our present-day writers on sociology and ethics.
The birth of Vyasa was interestingly depicted in Devi Bhagavata Purana: Apsara named ‘Adrika’ who was bathing in a river had mistakenly dragged the feet of a Brahmana performing his prayers on the banks of the river. He cursed the Apsara to become a fish as his meditation was interrupted. That fish swallowed a floating leafy packet and thus got pregnant.. The fish was caught by a fisherman after nine months and found from its stomach twin babies – a boy and a girl child. The fisherman presented the babies to a pius King, who by his mystic powers visualised the boy as his own child from the banana leaf and hence retained him to be the future King, and gave away the other child back to the fisherman and gifted him with riches enough to bring up the girl-child. This was the genesis of ‘Matsyodari’ (Matsya = Fish) who grew as an extraordinary beauty.
Story Line: – Kali (Former Name) is also known as Satyavati, who later married King Shantanu. Sage Parasara Maharishi, through his intuition / deep meditation, saw a vision that during an auspicious moment, if a child is born, that child would rewrite the human mankind through his intellectual capabilities. So, Sage Parasara Maharishi, went in search for a woman who can conceive the child for him. While in search for a woman Sage Parashara was attempting to cross Yamuna river and took the help of a young beautiful woman named Kali, who was the daughter of a fisherman. The beautiful young Kali aroused passion in Sage Parashara. The beautiful nature and the surroundings acted as a catalyst. Sage Parashara created a thick fog around the boat and created an artificial island. The couple had sexual union on the island. Sage Parashara said, a son will be born to her who will become the teacher of the world. He also blessed her that even after the birth of a son she will remain a virgin. Soon on that artificial island, young Kali gave birth to a male child. As soon as the child was born, he grew up and told his mother that she had played her part in the divine mission by giving birth to him and need not worry about him. He also said that he will come to her aid whenever she needs it. Since, Kali was a fisherwoman, her body used to have an odour of fish & Sage Parasara also gave a boon that, her body will only emit fresh fragrance further on, rather than the odour of a fish.
Puranas say that Vyasa took initiation at the hands of his 21st Guru, sage Vasudeva.
Shantanu & Bhishma Story Line: – Shantana, the Kuru Vamsa King of Hastinapura, came to a forest on a hunting spree and was mesmerized by musk-fragrance emanating from a woman named Satyavati. Allured by her sweet scent, Shantanu reached Satyavati’s house and, seeing her, fell in love at first sight. The king asked the fisherman-chief for his daughter’s hand; the fisherman Dusharaj said his daughter would marry the king if – and only if – her sons would inherit the throne.The King, shocked and dejected, returned to the palace since he had anointed his son, Devavrata as his heir apparent already. Devavrata was distressed by his father’s condition; he learned about the promise asked by the fisherman-chief from a Minister.
Immediately, Devavrata rushed to the hut of the fisherman-chief and begged for Satyavati’s hand on his father’s behalf. The fisherman repeated his condition. Then Devavrata renounced his claim to the throne in favour of Satyavati’s prospective progeny and pledged his vow of celibacy accomplishing his name as Bhishma as the fisherman immediately and Shantanu married Satyavati duly. Now Satyavati’s premarital first-born, Vyasa, lamented that his mother abandoned him to fate after birth. He returns to his birthplace in search of his mother who, he finds out, is now the queen of Hastinapur. After their marriage, Satyavati bore Shantanu two sons: Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. After Shantanu’s death, Bhishma crowned Chitrangada as king under Satyavati’s command, but Chitrangada was later killed by a Gandharva. Thereafter, Vichitravirya was crowned king, while Bhishma ruled on his behalf under Satyavati’s supervision. Vichitravirya married the princesses of Kashi of Kosala viz. Ambika and Ambalika. Later on even Vichitravirya, passed away due to illness (As per Bhagavata Purana) left with no child of his own. With no heir to the throne, Satyavati asked Bhishma to marry the widows of Vichitravirya, yet Bhishma refused, reminding Satyavati of the promise he made to her father and his vow of bachelorhood. Satyavati, at last, revealed her secret past and requested Bhisma to bring her first child Vyasa to impregnate the widows of Vichitravirya under a tradition called Niyoga.
Satyavati coaxed Vyasa to have formal single time sex with his brother’s widows. Vyasa initially refused Satyavati’s proposal. He argued that Vichitravirya’s wives were like his daughters and his union was a heinous sin, through which no good could come. But, Satyavati asserted that to preserve the dynasty, Vyasa finally agreed. By this time, Vyasa had compiled the four Vedas.
Story Line Continuation: – Vyasa asked her mother to send their daughter in law’s under an auspicious time, so that he can give them children. So, on one night, Satyavathi, sent her elder queen, Ambika, Looking at Vyasa Appearance (Dark Coloured, hair matted, unclean, large eyes, foul odour) ambika, out of fear closed her eyes. Vyasa declared to Satyavati that due to Ambika’s behaviour, her son would be blind (but strong) and have a hundred sons – later known as Kauravas the descendants of Kuru. Satyavati considered such an heir to be an unworthy king, so she asked Vyasa to have union with her other daughter-in-law Ambalika who fell pale due to Vyasa’s grim appearance. As the result of this, the child of Ambalika would be ineffective. In due course, the blind Dhritarashtra (Son of Ambika), and the pale Pandu (Son of Ambalika) were born.
Since both of the Son were unworthy to lead the throne, her mother insisted again to impregnate one of the daughter in-laws. Satyavati once again invited Vyasa to Ambika’s bedchamber; she remembered Vyasa’s grim appearance (and repulsive odour), and substituted a maid in her place. The maid respected the sage and was not afraid of him, and Vyasa thus blessed her with a son; her son would be the most intelligent man, and she would no longer be called as Son of a maid. Vyasa told Satyavati of the deception, and then disappeared; thus Vidhura a dharmatma was born to the maid.
Story Line Continuation: – According to Skanda Purana, Maharishi Vyasa was wedded with Vatika alias Pinjala, the daughter of a sage Jabali. They had a son named Shuka, he was his
spiritual successor and heir. There were four other disciples of Maharishi Vyasa they were
- Paila
- Jaimini
- Vaishampayana, and
- Sumantu.
Each one of them was separately given the responsibility to disseminate the ideas of the four Vedas.
- Paila was made in charge of the Rig-Veda
- Jaimini was assigned of the Samaveda
- Vaishampayana of the Yajurveda and
- Sumantu of Atharvaveda.
Vyasa is believed to have his abode on the bank of the river Ganga in modern day Uttarakhand. The site was also the ritual residence of the sage Vashishta and the Pandavas, the five brothers of the Mahabharata. Owing to his dark complexion and birthplace, Maharishi Vyasa was known as Krishna Dwaipayana in his childhood. He is referred to as Veda Vyasa because he is believed to have arranged the single eternal Veda into four Vedas. The four Vedas are:
- Rig Veda
- Sama Veda
- Yajur Veda
- Atharva Veda
The word Vyasa means compiler / arranger. It also resembles the word split/differentiator/describe. The word Vyasa is also used for a holy sage or a pious learned man known for his distinguished writings. It is generally believed in Hindu tradition that Vyasa had categorized the single Veda into four Vedas to make them easily comprehensible for the common people. Hence, he was called Veda Vyasa, or Splitter of the Vedas. However, different Puranas and literature have illustrated Vyasa in different ways.
- Vyasa was not only regarded as the author of the epic but also remembered as an important character in it. To write the Mahabharata, Vyasa asked Lord Ganesha to assist him but Lord Ganesha placed a condition that he would help him to compose the text only if Vyasa would narrate him the story without pausing. In response to him, Vyasa also set a counter-condition that Ganesha should understand each verses (i.e each wording/paragraph/statement) first before drafting them. Thus, Vyasa narrated the entire Mahabharata to Lord Ganesha while he kept writing down, it was written w/o any interruption.
- Vyasa is also believed as the author of the eighteen major Puranas of Vedic tradition. His son Shuka was mentioned as the narrator of the Bhagavata Purana to Arjuna’s grandson Parikshit.
- Badarayana was credited with writing the Brahma Sutras, one of Vedanta’s core books and he was also known as Vyasa in some writings, which means – one who arranges. Vaishnava Acharyas mentioned Badarayana as Vyasa. However, some modern historians believe that these were two distinct persons. According to them, there may have been more than one Vyasa or the name Vyasa may have been used several times for the texts. Vyasa is believed to have documented, compiled much of the ancient Hindu literature. He is generally considered the original writer of the great epic the Mahabharata.
