Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, also known as Vyāsa or Veda-Vyāsa (वेदव्यास, the one who classified the Vedas into four parts) is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is traditonally regarded as the author of the Mahābhārata, although it is also widely held that he only composed the core of the epic, the Bhārata. A significant portion of the epic later was only added in later centuries, which then came to be known as the Mahābhārata. The date of composition of this epic is not known - It was definitvely part of the traditions in Indian subcontinent at the time Gautam Buddha ( 500 BCE) which would suggest it having been already around for atleast a few centuries. It was chiefy put down in the written form only somewhere between 300 BCE to 300 CE. As the name would suggest, Vyāsa is believed to have categorised the primordial single Veda into its four canonical collections. He is also considered to be the scribe of Purānās, ancient Hindu texts eulogizing various deities, primarily the divine Trimurti God in Hinduism through divine stories. Bibek Debroy is an Indian writer and economist.

A masterful translation of the Bhagavad Gita, along with the Sanskrit original. A faithful rendition of the 2000 year old Song Celestial, Bibek Debroys translation resonates with the spirit of the original while using modern idiom and language. He captures, verse by verse, the essence of this ancient philosophical poem which debates eternal questions of right and wrong, action and consequence, and the conflicting nature of duty and love. The text stands by itself, complete and without interpolation, juxtaposed with the Sanskrit for easy reference, interpretation and explanation are tucked away as notes at the end. Authentic and readily accessible to the scholar and the non initiate, this edition of the Gita is essential reading for anybody who wishes to grasp the core of Indian philosophy and religion.