Maharshi Vedavyas and the Longest Poem Ever Written
The Mahabharat says that it was composed by Maharshi Vedavyas, the grandfather of the Pandavas and Kauravas.
The Summoning of Maharshi Vedavyas
In an early chapter of the Mahabharat, Queen Satyavati summoned her firstborn son, Maharshi Vedavyas, to the court of Hastinapur to bear children with the widows of her youngest son, King Vichitraveerya. Vedavyas arrived at the palace but warned his mother that the widows would have to deal with his ugly shape and foul odor.
The Births of Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidur
The first widow, Ambika, kept her eyes shut while sleeping with Vedavyas. So, her son, Dhritarashtra, was born blind. Dhritarashtra would father a hundred sons called the Kauravas.
The second widow, Ambalika, turned pale when she went to bed with Vedavyas. So, her son, Pandu, was born pale. Pandu would have five sons called the Pandavas.
When Queen Satyavati learned that the heir to the throne of Hastinapur would be born blind, she sent Ambika to Vedavyas a second time. Ambika couldn't summon the courage to spend another night with Vedavyas, so she sent her servant Parishrami instead. Parishrami was intelligent and fearless, not to mention a devotee of Vedavyas. So, she gave birth to Vidur, who had no royal lineage but was blessed with immense wisdom and later served as an advisor to his half-brother, King Dhritarashtra.
Vedavyas's Warning: Satyavati's Retreat from Destiny
After the funerals of Pandu and Madri, Maharshi Vedavyas returned to Hastinapur and said to Satyavati, "Mother, the coming days are bad for the Kuru clan. The end of the clan is upon us. You won't be able to face this difficult time. I implore you to come with me to the forest and spend the rest of your days peacefully."
Satyavati took her son's advice and, with Ambika and Ambalika, set out toward the forest. Later, Satyavati died in the woods; therefore, she didn't have to see the destruction of the Kuru clan.
The Gift of Distant Sight
Just before the Mahabharat war, Maharshi Vedavyas arrived at King Dhritarashtra's court.
Vedavyas told his blind son, "For the duration of the war, I can give you special sight so that you may see and hear the events at Kurukshetra."
"I have no desire to see images of my sons' deaths," replied King Dhritarashtra, "but I would certainly like to listen to an account of the war."
Upon this, Maharshi Vedavyas decided to give special sight to King Dhritarashtra's minister, Sanjay, instead.
"Sanjay will be able to see and hear the events of the war, sitting right here," said Vedavyas to King Dhritarashtra. "He will give you an account of the war as it happens." After saying this, Maharshi Vedavyas blessed his son and went his way.
The Divine Collaboration: Vedavyas and Ganesh in the Creation of the Mahabharat
After the Mahabharat war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, Maharshi Vedavyas witnessed the end of the Kuru clan. He felt that the clan's story should be written in detail; however, he could not find anyone who was up to the task. So, he prayed to Lord Brahma for advice. Lord Brahma eventually appeared before him, advising him to enlist Lord Ganesh to pen down the Mahabharat. Vedavyas prayed to Lord Ganesh. The latter eventually appeared before the Maharshi and agreed to write down the Mahabharat on one condition: Once Vedavyas began dictating, Ganesh's pen should not stop for even a second. Vedavyas agreed but put forth a stipulation of his own: Ganesh shouldn't write down a single word without thoroughly understanding the meaning of Vedavyas' sentence. Ganesh agreed, and the Mahabharat began to be composed in Sanskrit.