Chapter 3 - The Vyāsas arrange the Vedas; The syllable Oṃ

Maitreya

I’ve learned from you how this world is Viṣṇu, is in Viṣṇu, is from Viṣṇu and how there’s nothing else beside him. 1

But I’d like to hear how the Vedas are arranged by that great being in the form of a Veda-vyāsa, or ‘arranger of the Vedas’, in each successive age. 2

Tell me of the varied forms of Vyāsa that appear in every aeon, sage and master, and how the Vedic branches are divided. 3

Parāśara

As the Veda-tree is divided into branches by the thousand, Maitreya, it’s impossible to describe them one by one, so listen to this summary. 4

In each Dvāpara age, Viṣṇu takes the form of Vyāsa, sage, and divides the single Veda into several parts to benefit the world. 5

Seeing humankind lacks courage, strength and energy, he divides the Veda for the good of every being. 6

The form that Viṣṇu takes, that enemy of Madhu, when he divides the Veda, is known as ‘Veda-vyāsa’. 7

Now you’ll learn about the varied Vyāsas who appear in this Manvantara, sage, and how the division into branches is undertaken. 8

The Vedas have been divided on twenty-eight occasions by great sages during each successive Dvāpara age in this Vaivasvata Manvantara. 9

Twenty-eight Veda-vyāsas, who arranged the Vedas into four in each Dvāpara age, best of sages, have already gone by. 10

In the first Dvāpara, the Vedas were arranged by the self-existent deity Brahmā. In the second, the Veda-vyāsa was the patriarch Manu. 11

In the third, the arranger was Uśanas, and in the fourth Bṛhaspati. Savitṛ was the arranger in the fifth, and in the sixth was Mṛtyu, Lord of Death. 12

In the seventh it was Indra, and Vasiṣṭha in the eighth, Sārasvata in the ninth and Tridhāman in the tenth. 13

In the eleventh it was Trivṛṣan, and Bhāradvāja followed him. In the thirteenth it was Antarikṣa, and Varṇin in the fourteenth, 14

Trayyāruṇa in the fifteenth, in the sixteenth Dhanaṃjaya, Kṛtaṃjaya in the seventeenth and Ṛṇjaya in the eighteenth. 15

The next Vyāsa was Bharadvāja, and after him came Gautama. After Gautama the Vyāsa was Uttama, also known as Haryātman. 16

After Haryātman was Vena or Vājaśravas, then Soma Śuṣmāyaṇa or Tṛṇabindu. 17

Then came Ṛkṣa, scion of Bhṛgu, also known as Vālmīki. After him was my father, Śakti, sage, and I was the Vyāsa after him. 18

Jātukarṇa followed me, then Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana. These are the twenty-eight Veda-vyāsas of ancient times. 19

They split the single Veda into four in each Dvāpara age. 20

In the next Dvāpara period, Droṇa’s son Drauṇi will be the Vyāsa after my son, the sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, has passed. 21

The syllable Oṃ and the Absolute

Oṃ is defined as the Absolute (brahman) in the form of one eternal syllable. It’s so called on account of its greatness (bṛhatvāt) and its capacity to strengthen (bṛṃhaṇatvāt). 22

I bow to the Absolute in the form of the everlasting syllable, Oṃ, invoked as ‘earth, sky and heaven’ (bhūr, bhuvas, svaḥ) in the Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva Vedas. 23

I bow to the Absolute, known as the cause of creation and destruction of the world, the deepest secret of mahat, the principle of Greatness. 24

Unfathomable, unbound and undecaying, it’s the source of illusion in the world. With brilliance and efficacy, it’s the cause by which the purpose of the highest spirit is accomplished. 25

The Absolute is the crown for those who know the Sāṃkhya teachings, and the goal for those who pacify and regulate themselves. It’s unmanifest, undying efficacy. 26

It’s also called the essence, the origin of the Self, the heart of all reality. It’s indivisible, pure, imperishable and manifold. 27

I bow again and again to that eternal, highest Absolute, a form of Vāsudeva, who is himself a form of the highest spirit. 28

This Absolute is the threefold lord, yet also one. That undivided being is thought to be divided among all creation by those who regard him as divisible. 29

This universal being, composed of the Ṛg, Sāma and Yajur Vedas, is their essence. He is indeed the heart of all embodied beings. 30

Consisting of the Vedas, he is divided, but he made these texts and splits them into many. The eternal lord is author of their branches, and takes the form of knowledge of them all. 31

So ends Chapter Three in Book Three of the glorious Viṣṇu Purāṇa.

Other Purana Concepts:

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Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘The Vyasas arrange the Vedas; The syllable Om’. Further sources in the context of Purana might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Vedavyasa, Vaivasvatamanvantara, Eternal Lord, Mahat principle, Knowledge of the Veda, Dvapara age, Absolute Om, Scion of Bhrigu, Patriarch Manu.