Vyasa
<p ><b>Vyasa</b> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devanagari" title="Devanagari" >Devanagari</a>: व्यास, <i>vyāsa</i>) is a central and revered figure in most <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism" >Hindu</a> traditions. He is also sometimes called <b>Veda Vyāsa</b> (वेदव्यास, <i>veda-vyāsa</i>), (the one who classified the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas" title="Vedas" >Vedas</a> into four parts) or <b>Krishna Dvaipāyana</b> (referring to his complexion and birthplace). There are two different views regarding his birthplace. One of the views suggests that he was born in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanahun" title="Tanahun" class="mw-redirect" >Tanahun</a> district in western <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal" title="Nepal" >Nepal</a>. He is the author of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata" title="Mahabharata" >Mahabharata</a>, as well as a character in it. He is considered to be the scribe of both the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas" title="Vedas" >Vedas</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puranas" title="Puranas" >Puranas</a>. According to Hindu beliefs, Vyasa is an incarnation of God <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu" title="Vishnu" >Vishnu</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyasa#cite_note-1" >[1]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyasa#cite_note-2" >[2]</a></sup> Vyāsa is also considered to be one of the seven <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiranjivins" title="Chiranjivins" class="mw-redirect" >Chiranjivins</a> (long lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to general Hindu belief.
Vyasa lived around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_millennium_BC" title="3rd millennium BC" >3rd millennium BCE</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyasa#cite_note-3" >[3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyasa#cite_note-4" >[4]</a></sup> The festival of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Purnima" title="Guru Purnima" >Guru Purnima</a></i> is dedicated to him. It is also known as <i>Vyasa Purnima</i> for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas.<sup id="cite_ref-ci_5-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyasa#cite_note-ci-5" >[5]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ed_6-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyasa#cite_note-ed-6" >[6]</a></sup></p>