The Greatness of Veda Vyasa - S Ramaswami

The astounding message and content of this unforgettable chronicler’s works rank far more in importance than his indeterminate historicity.

The traditional account of Sri Veda Vyasa credits him with: (a) Classifying the sacred sruti into the four Vedas––Rik, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva; (b) condensing the doctrine of the Upanishads into the eternally illuminating Brahma Sutras; (c) composing that magnificent monument of a work of art, Sriman Mahabharata, hailed as the fifth Veda; (d) writing in accordance with the inspiring suggestion of sage Narada, the Srimad Bhagavata and (e) writing the 18 puranas as well as the upa puranas.

These are achievements of such impressive and massive magnitude that it is very natural for the average man to express a sense of limitless wonder and astonishment that one person could compass so much and that at a time when facilities for authorship were nearly non-existent. The strictest rigor of scrutiny of the claim made by tradition for Veda Vyasa leaves one utterly puzzled because there would seem to be in this claim an apparent disregard of chronology and of stylistic characteristics.

Pious acceptance of the tradition may seem to be an evasion of important aspects of it which defy decisive ascertainment. One may even regard the so-called scholarly curiosity as a needless exercise, if not also an inpertinence. One feels bound, in the conduct of the numerous uncertainties regarding authorship and dates in the Indian religious tradition that it is a merciful Providence that has decreed that such curiosity shall get no decisive satisfaction.

© "Tattvaloka" (June/July, 1988) published monthly by Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Mahaswamigal Education Trust of Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya Mahasamsthanam, Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri 577 139, Karnataka, from Abhinav Centre, No.4, Co-operative Colony, Teynampet, Chennai 600 018. Website: www.tattvaloka.com. Reprinted with permission.

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