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 |
Vyasa as Brahmā on earth | 81 |
Other perspectives on Vyāsa | 102 |
Appendix | 118 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adi Parvan amsa Arjuna ascetic asceticism Aśvamedha Aśvatthāman Bhārata Bhārata dynasty Bhārata family Bhargava Bhīṣma birth boon born Brahmā brahman priest Brāhmaṇa brahmin Bṛhaspati Buddha Buitenen chapter composed correspondences created critical edition curse deity depicted described dharma Dhṛtarāṣṭra divided the Vedas divine Draupadi Duryodhana earth epic characters epic poets epic story epic's father fifth Veda four Vedas Gaṇeśa Georges Dumézil gods and demons grandfather guru Hindu Ibid incarnation of Nārāyaṇa Indian Indra Jaimini Jan Gonda Jātaka Kaliyuga Kauravas killing king Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana kṣatriya literature Lord Mahābhārata Manu manuscripts MBh's means mediating myth mythology Nārada Nārāyaṇa nivṛtti Pāṇḍavas Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas Pāṇḍu Parāśara Parvan passage pitāmaha poem Prajāpati pravṛtti pupils Purāṇa Purāņas Rājasūya recited refers regarded rite ritual role ṛși sacrifice sage Samjaya sāmkhya Sauti seer Śiva sovereignty Śuka tale tapas tion told tradition Vaiśampāyana Veda into four Vedic Vedic texts verses versions Vṛṣṇis Vyasa warriors Winternitz yoga Yudhisthira