Kṛṣṇa Ḍvaipāyana Vyāsa and the Mahābhārata: A New InterpretationAuthorship of the great Sanskrit language epic poem of India, the Mahābhārata, is attributed to the sage Kṛsṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. This study focuses on the depiction of Vyāsa in the Mahābhārata, where he is an important character in the tale he is credited with composing. Other scholars have interpreted Vyāsa as an incarnation of Nārāyana Visṇu. This study, however, demonstrates that he is so depicted only very rarely in the epic, and that elsewhere the Mahābhārata portrays Vyāsa as corresponding meaningfully with Brahmā. Vyāsa is, in fact, the earthly counterpart to Brahmā in the Mahābhārata, as Kṛsṇa is of Visṇu, etc. The interpretation of Vyāsa is enriched by the different perspectives provided by other literature, including dramas, Jātaka tales, Arthasāstra, and Purāṇas. |
Contents
The author in his own composition | 27 |
The divine plan in the epic | 57 |
Vyāsa as Brahmā on earth | 81 |
Other perspectives on Vyāsa | 102 |
Appendix | 118 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adi Parvan amsa Arjuna Arthaśāstra āsa ascetic asceticism Aśvamedha Aśvatthāman attributed to Vyāsa Bhārata Bhārata dynasty Bhārata family Bhargava Bhīṣma birth boon born Brahmā brahman priest Brahmaņa brahmin Bṛhaspati Buddha Buitenen chapter composed correspondences created critical edition curse deity described dharma Dharmaśāstra Dhṛtarāstra Dīpāyana divided the Vedas divine Draupadī Duryodhana earth epic characters epic poets epic's father fifth Veda four Vedas Ganesa Georges Dumézil gods and demons grandfather guru Hindu Ibid Indian Indra Jaimini Jataka Kaliyuga Kauravas king Krsna Krsna Dvaipāyana ksatriya Lord Mahābhārata Manu manuscripts MBh's means mediate moksa myth mythology Nārada Nārāyaņa Pandavas Pandavas and Kauravas Pāndu Parāśara Parvan passage pitāmaha poem Prajāpati pravrtti pupils Purāṇa Purāņas Rājasūya recited regarded rite ritual role rși sacrifice sage Samjaya samkhya Sauti seer Śiva sovereignty Suka tale tapas tradition Upaniṣad Vaiśampāyana Veda into four Vedic Vedic texts verses versions Vrsnis Vyāsa Vyāsa is depicted warriors Winternitz yāsa yoga Yudhisthira