Vyasa (title)
Vyasa (Devanagari: व्यास, "vyāsa") Veda Vyāsa (वेदव्यास, "veda-vyāsa") is the title given to the "Rishi" (sage) who comes at the end of every "Dvapara Yuga" to divide and compile the one "Veda" into four and compile the "Puranas" and "Mahabharata" for the benefit of mankind in the degraded age that follows, "Kali Yuga". Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. In the 28th "mahayuga" (current), Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa was Vyasa, whose name refers to his complexion and birthplace, and who is believed to be a partial incarnation of Vishnu that occurs once in  every "kalpa". In the upcoming 29th "mahayuga", Guru Drona's son Rishi Aswatthama will be born as the next Vyasa. In the previous 27th "mahayuga", Veda Vyasa's father was Vyasa. Past Vyasa. The "Vishnu Purana" has a theory about Vyasa. The Hindu view of the universe is that of a cyclic phenomenon that comes into existence and dissolves repeatedly. Each "kalpa" cycle is presided over by a number of Manus, one for each "manvantara", and each "manvantara" has a number of "Yuga Cycles", each having four "yuga" ages of declining virtues. The "Dvapara Yuga" is the third "yuga". The  Vishnu Purana (Book 3, Ch 3) says: "Twenty-eight times have the Vedas been arranged by the great Rishis in the Vaivasvata Manvantara... and consequently eight and twenty Vyasas have passed away; by whom, in the respective periods, the Veda has been divided into four" During every Dvapara Yuga of the present Vaivasvat Manvantara, different Vyasas have divided the Vedas twenty-eight times. The names of those who acted as Vyasa: From Kurma Purana, in every Dvapara Yuga, a Veda Vyasa is born so as to divide the Vedas and disseminate their knowledge. In the present era, there have been  twenty eight Dvapara Yugas and therefore been twenty eight individuals who have held the title of Veda Vyasa. The Kurma Purana gives their names as follows: Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa divided the Vedas into four parts and taught them to four of his disciples. He taught: In Shiva Purana, it mentions various incarnations of Vyasa and Lord Siva. In Varaha Kalpa of the Seventh Manvantara, Lord Vishnu illuminated all the three world by his divine presence. This seventh Manvantara consisted of four yugas which repeated themselves in a cyclic way for twelve times. Current Vyasa. Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa lived around the  3rd millennium BCE. The festival of "Guru Purnima" is dedicated to him. It is also known as "Vyasa Purnima", for it is the day believed to be both his birthday and the day he divided the Vedas. He is the author of the Mahabharata, as well as a character in it. He is considered to be the scribe of both the Vedas and Puranas. Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa is also considered to be one of the seven Chiranjivins (long lived, or immortals), who are still in existence according to general Hindu belief. Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa will also become one of the  Saptarishi in the 8th Manvantara along with sage Kripa, sage Aswatthama and sage Parashurama Vyas as a surname follow from ‘Vyasa’ and was once awarded to the royal family of ranawas. Future Vyasa. Ashwatthama or Drauni was the son of Dronacharya. Drona did many years of severe penance to please Lord Shiva in order to obtain a son who possesses the same valiance as of Lord Shiva. Aswatthama is the avatar of one of the eleven Rudras and he is one of the seven Chiranjivi or the immortal ones. He is the grandson of the Brahmin sage Bharadwaja. He is  a mighty Maharathi who fought on the Kaurava side against the Pandavas in Mahabharata war. Aswatthama along with his maternal uncle Kripacharya and Kritavarma is believed to be the lone survivors still living who actually fought in the kurukshetra war. Along with sage Parashurama, sage Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa and sage Kripa, Aswatthama is considered to be foremost among the rishis in "Kali Yuga". Aswatthama will become the next sage Vyasa, who in turn divide the Veda in 29th Mahayuga of 7th Manvantara. Aswatthama will also become one of the Saptarishi in the 8th Manvantara along with sage Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa , sage Kripa and sage Parashurama. Like Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, and Arjuna, he is a master of the science of weapons and is regarded as the foremost among warriors. Aswatthama studied Dhanurvidya or martial arts and Brahmavidya or the science of the self or Atma from Lord Parasurama, Maharishi Durvasa, Maharishi Krishna Dvaipāyana Vyasa, Bhishma, Kripa and Drona. Aswatthama is the master of all forms of knowledge and possesses complete mastery over 64 forms of arts or Kalas and 18 Vidyas or branches of knowledge.