King Janamejaya was ruling over Hastinavati at the time. He was Arjuna's great-grandson. He learnt that Vyasa had

Witnessed the Mahabharata War. He was eager to hear the story of his mighty ancestors from him. But it was too much to expect Vyasa to go to Hastinavati just to narrate the story. How was the king to get the sage to his capital? He consulted his ministers and decided to perform a great 'yaga'. No 'rishi' would ever refuse to attend a 'yaga'.

Janamejaya sent his chief priest to invite Vyasa. He arrived in Hastinavati with his disciples. Hundreds of 'rishis' assembled from many corners of the country. It was a great and holy occasion.

When the festivities were over, the king persuaded Vyasa to stay for a fem days.

One day Janamejaya said to Vyasa, "Master, you knew my ancestors. You know their stories. I beg o you, tell me

The story of the Mahabharata."

"Yes, son; Vaishampayana will narrate the story," answered Vyasa, and asked his disciple to narrate the story in detail. The disciple repeated it exactly as he had heard it from the master. Janamejaya listened to the story in rapt silence. Among the, listeners was a 'rishi' called Ugrahrava. Some days later there was a yaga in a forest known as Naimisha. Ugrahrava recited the story before an assembly of 'rishis' there. Thus the story travelled from mouth to mouth.

You know that it was Vyasa who classified the Vedas into four branches - Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. Formerly, it formed a single body of knowledge. Vyasa had a number of disciples. The four great 'rishis' called Vaishampayana, Paila, Jaimini and Sumantu took the Vedas to people in different corners. Some people may find the Vedas difficult to understand. So Vyasa wrote the Brahmasutras in order to explain the meaning of the Vedas. To explain the mean background of the Brahmasutras he wrote the eighteen Puranas; in these he wrote about the great men connected with Brahmasutras and also told moral tales. At the end of it all, Vyasa wrote the Harivamsha, the history of Lord Krishna.

The Mahabharata story had been composed a little earlier. It is an ocean of knowledge. It is called the Fifth Veda. It is also known as Jaya. The Bhagavadgita which is honoured all over the world as a book of wisdom forms a part of the Mahabharata. Thus Vyasa has left a rich legacy of knowledge to our country.