Mahabharata | Author Biography
Most scholars agree that the Mahabharata was not written by a single individual. Instead multiple authors compiled it over the course of several centuries. According to mythic tradition, however, the rishi (sage) Vyasa—who is also a character in the Mahabharata—wrote the work. In Sanskrit, the name Vyasa means "collector," "compiler," or "arranger." Thus, Vyasa represents the countless individuals who put together the various tales, stories, histories, legends, and treatises that are known collectively as the Mahabharata. A legendary figure occupying a...
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