Vyasa (‘the arranger’) is traditionally held to have divided the single Veda into four, and to have composed the Mahabharata (including the Bhagavad Gita), the Brahma Sutras and the eighteen Puranas. Born as Krishna Dvaipayana to Sage Parashara and Satyavati, his name reflects his dark complexion (Krishna) and his birth on an island (Dvaipayana) in the Yamuna River.

Realising that human comprehension and lifespan would diminish in the upcoming Kali Yuga, he undertook the monumental task of categorising the primordial Vedic knowledge into the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. He then entrusted these four texts to his chief disciples: Paila, Vaishampayana, Jaimini and Sumantu, ensuring their oral transmission.

To make complex spiritual philosophy accessible to the general populace, he authored the Mahabharata—the longest epic poem in history—and the eighteen Mahapuranas, including the highly revered Srimad Bhagavatam. Guru Purnima is observed in his honour, celebrated annually on Ashadha Purnima to recognise his foundational role as the ultimate spiritual teacher and preserver of Vedic dharma.