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Maharshi Vyas

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Maharshi Ved Vyas

Maharishi Veda Vyasa was the son of Maharshi Parashar
Maharishi Veda Vyasa composed Puranas and Upa-puranas to expound the Vedic teachings for the benefit of the lay people. The puranas are the most extensively read scriptures in India. The word purana means "portrayal of ancient times;.There are eighteen major (maha) and eighteen subsidiary (upa) puranas
At the end of it all, Vyasa wrote the Harivamsha, the history of Krishna as Lord. God.
Veda Vyasa is considered immortal, a chiranjivi. He will live, no doubt, immortally through the Vedas, the Brahmasutras and the Gita. He would be guiding the coming generations, as he guided the gone by.
He codified the Veda, the compilation of which was initiated by Maharshi Angiras two millennia back, into four divisions ( 1131 Sakhas or Recensions divided into Rik (21 sakhas), Yajur(101 sakhas), Sama (1000 sakhas) and Atharva Veda (9 sakhas). For further re-organization and editing he entrusted the Books to his trusted disciples:
Rig Veda-Paila,Yajur Veda-Vaisampayana ,Sama Veda - Jaimini ,Atharva Veda - Sumantu

.Village Mana - Vyas Gufa:
This village, located at a distance of 3 kms from Badrinath temple is the last Indian Village situated in the Indo-China Border and has gained historical importance on account of Vyas Caves. This village, located on the banks of River Saraswati (only place where this river can be seen) is very beautiful. Vyas Maharishi (Sage), author of Mahabharat is believed to have lived in the caves. These are named after him. It was in these caves, Vyas Maharishi composed the Mahabharata. This was done at the orders of his mentor Kalpatru Maharishi who appeared in his dream. Mahabharata depicts the history of Pandavs, Kauravs including Kurukshetra War and most importantly Bhagawad Gita authored by Krishna (reincarnation of Vishnu). Ganesh, the son of Shiv & Parvati, is said to have helped Vyas Maharishi in putting this epic in the written form, the beginning of education in written form. In addition to Mahabharat, Vyas Maharishi composed 18 puranas (legendary stories), Brahma Sutras and classified the Hindu Vedas into 4 parts ; Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. It is only in this cave that Adi Shankara is believed to have met Vyas Maharishi and discussed his Bhashyam (explanatory notes) for Brahma Sutras.Vyas Gufa- It is the rock cave of the saint Ved Vyas, he was the writer of Mahabharata who is believed to have lived in the caves. It was in these caves where Vyas Maharishi composed the Mahabharata. These are named after him Rock formation inside the Vyas Gufa appears to resemble the orderly stacking of palm leave manuscripts; oldest writing material and is worshipped as Vyas Pusthak. Vyas Maharishi is also considered, by some, as reincarnation of Vishnu.

Vyas Gufa in Mana village Near Badrinath
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THE VYASA MAHA BHARATAM
He composed the most exhaustive history up to his times, the Mahabharatam. A book that itself is a wonder. As some of us think, it is not only the history of a stretch of land called India, but of the world till his times. There are several references and the pre-Vedic chronology illustrated. The 'Mahabharata' remains a marvel in the literature of the world. Veda Vyasa was the sage who gave the world this storehouse of realism, wisdom and compassion. And he was the guide to whom generations of the high and the humble looked up in hours of sorrow and darkness. The Mahabharata is exclusive. It is history, genealogy, sociology, ethics, neeti-sastra and dharma sastra; science of archery and art of warfare. Philosophy, spirituality and poetry, you name it, Vyasa Bharatam have it all in great detail.
"Due to his compassion, the sage (Vyasa) thought it wise to do something which would aid those who were ignorant of how to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Therefore he compiled the Mahabharata for the benefit of women, sudras and brahmana-bandhus (so-called brahmanas) who were not eligible to study the Sruti."







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Ganesh Mandir near Vyas Gufa

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Ganesh Gufa from road

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Vyas Ashram Barkal on Bank of Narmada near Baroda,Gujarat

Vyas ashram and a dip in clear narmada waters
Barkal is a tiny neat village on the banks of narmada river 45 kms away from Vadodara Gujarat India.Drive to Dabhoi then turn right to Shinor way and turn at Segwa chowdi to ask for the new Poicha bridge on Narmada linking it to Rajpipla.The great sage maharishi Vyas s' ashram is here in such a way that river forms it as an island when it is full in monsoon.There is a story how river was made to flow on the other side as a great sage had to get Bhiksha on the south bank not the north!! Opposite to this ashram is Shuka dev jis ashram temple.He was the great sage born wise awakened soul- son of maharishi Vyas.There is a story about how the son ran as vyas ji wanted to perform his Maunja thred ceremony -he ran naked towrds the other bank ,as few naked women bathing there saw him they just bowed to him but when Vyas ji came running after the son they shreiked and covered themselves up.Vyasji was perplexed that why should these ladies think of HIM a greatest rishi someone so ordinaryily LUSTY that they had tp cover up..The village ladies said that Shuk devjis' Vairagya was far more superior to all of you rishis .So even now we have shlokas and poems in marathi about Vairagya dispassion s' geatest peak as exemplified by Shukdevji.Swami Ramdasji 1608-82 AD is described as having Vairagya like the Shuka whom the BHAGWAT PURANA IS READ TO BY VYASA. iT IS ON BOTH BANKS OF NARMADA RIVER THAT MANY PURANIC STORIES HAVE HAPPENNED AND MANY GREAT ANCIENT SITES are present .Shankara charya ji met his GURU here and this river is the edfice of great LORD DUTTATRAYA GURU ,a rishi who blessed even Parshurama and many other heroes.

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