Jun 27, 2013 — CANADA (SUN) — A study of famous caves in ancient Bharat.
It is believed that it was in this cave that the great sage Vyasa Rishi composed the Mahabharata. In addition to Mahabharata, he composed the 18 Puranas, Brahma Sutras and classified the Vedas. Vyasa cave is located in Mana village, at the Indo China border, 3 km from Badrinath. Nearby, below Vyas gufa is the Ganesh cave. Saraswati River is said to be visible from this place, although not visible elsewhere at the present time.
The rock formation of Vyas gufa (cave) appears to resemble the orderly stacking of palm leaf manuscripts. There is a small deity of Srila Vyasa installed at the entrance of the cave.
The Sage Vyasa
Lithograph, Kalyana Kalpataru
Visitors traveling to Vyasa's cave at Managaon come upon this signpost: Vyasa Gufa 50 yards; Bhim ki pul 100 yards; Vasudhara falls four km. From here, the pathway rises to the enormous rockfront of the cave, the rock petrified in thin layers like the pages of Vyasa's manuscripts.
Bhim ki pul is the spot where the Pandavas stopped when Draupadi found it difficult to go further. In order to cross the Sarasvati River, Bhima kicked a rock, creating a natural bridge across the waters. Beyond Bhim ki pul one proceeds onward to Vasudhara falls, then the path becomes steeper and less defined.
Sri Vyasa Rishi was known in childhood as Krsna, because of his dark complexion. Having been born at the confluence of the Sati and Mati Rivers, he was called Dwaipayana. Later, after dividing the Vedas, he was given the name Veda Vyasa.
It is believed that Krsna-dwaipayana Veda Vyasa actually took his birth at the place now known as Vyasa gufa, the cave where Vyasa reportedly wrote sastra. Located near the border of China in present day Nepal, this place along the road from Pokara to Kathmandu was part of the ancient kingdom of King Janaka. Local records are said to support this history, saying that this was the asrama of Parasara Muni at the time Vyasa was conceived.
Mana Gaon
[ Photo by Vipin Chandran / The Hindu ]
It is said that Sri Adi Shankara met Vyas Rishi in this cave and discussed his Bhashyam (explanatory notes) for Brahma Sutras.
