Krishna Dvaipayana, better known as Vyasa or Vedavyasa ("the one who classified the Vedas"), is a revered sage or Rishi depicted in most Hindu traditions. He is traditionally regarded as the author of the epic Mahābhārata. Vyasa is also seen by many Hindus as a partial incarnation of the god Vishnu and the compiler of the mantras of the Vedas into four distinct Vedas, in addition to being the author of the eighteen Puranas and the Brahma Sutras. He is one of the eight immortals, Chiranjīvis, which implies he is still present in the current Kali yuga.

Vyasa's contributions to Indian spiritual literature are immense, with his works being foundational texts not only in Hinduism but also in the broader context of Indian philosophy and history. The date of composition of the Mahābhārata is uncertain, but it was definitely part of the traditions in the Indian subcontinent by the time of Gautama Buddha (~500 BCE), suggesting it had been around for at least a few centuries. It is widely held that Vyasa only composed the core of the epic, the Bhārata, with a significant portion of the epic being added in later centuries, which then came to be known as the Mahābhārata.