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Of the other interesting aspects, Hindu mythology is also known for the immortality that many have acquired either through boons or curses. Of these beings of the past, eight of them are prominent immortal beings, said to be living until the end of time. These eight people – often referred together as a group, are called the Ashta-Chiranjeevis. Translating from Sanskrit, Ashta means ‘Eight’; Chiran means ‘Long’; and Jeevi means ‘Lived or living being’. In Hinduism, these eight immortals are said to still live on the Earth in flesh and blood today. These people are said to found in flesh and blood, living on the Earth only to see the end of the Kali Yuga Chiranjeevis are not immortals but rather live till the end of this Kalpa. The desire to live forever in this world has always attracted Man. They have looked for answers in every domain to quench their thirst for immortality. To be specific, it is believed that these Chiranjeevis are the ones that were born as humans once, but blessed or cursed with extremely long life – until the end of time. Although, some religious texts argue that these Chiranjeevis are not immortals but rather live till the end of this Kalpa. One Kalpa corresponds to 4.32 billion years and the Kali Yuga is said to be a period of 432,000 years.
Hindu scripture contains a mantra about the seven immortals, in which their names are recited for luck and longevity. This mantra or sloka that mentions about all the immortals found in Hindu scriptures. The sloka is given below:
मार्कन्देयबलिर्व्यासो अश्वत्थामा:हनुमांश्च
विभीषण:कृपश्चपरशुरामश्च अष्टचिरंजिविन :।
The sloka when translated : Ashwathaama Markandeyarr Vyaso Hanumanash cha Vibhishana Krupacharya cha Parashuramam Saptaita Chiranjeevanam.
The eight Chiranjeevis are:
1) King Bali, the asura-king who was vanquished by Lord Vishnu in his dwarf avatar.
2) Parashurama, the priest-warrior and one of the ten avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu.
3) Lord Hanuman, the wise and mighty monkey who serves Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana .
4) Vibhishana, brother of Ravana in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
5) Veda Vyasa, the well-known organiser of Vedas and he is also known as the composer of the Mahabharata.
6) Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya who was the guru (teacher) of the Pandavas and Kauravas in the Mahabharata.
7) Kripacharya who was one of the mighty warriors and it was known that he could fight against 60,000 soldiers single handedly.
8) Markandeya who is said to have attained immortality through Lord Vishnu.
Markandeya
Of the eight Chiranjeevis, the sage Markandeya is one of them. He was the son of yet another great Sage named Mrgandu. Rishi Markendeya was beliebed to have been blessed with ultimate wisdom and godly talents. In short, as time passed and when Lord Yama, the God of death, came to mark an end to his life on Earth. Then it is believed that the Sage Markandeya prayed to Lord Shiva. Upon learning about his prayers, Lord Shiva is said to have been pleased with his devotion, and eventually granted him the boon of immortality.
The Bhagavata Purana narrates a tale of this sage of how once sage Narayana visited Markandeya and asked him for a boon he wished for. To this, Sage Markandeya requested sage Narayana if he could show him his illusory power (Called Maya in Sanskrit), since it was known that the sages Nara-Narayana are incarnation of Lord Narayana (Lord Vishnu) himself. In order to fulfil Sage Markandeya’s wish, Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a child floating on a leaf. Further, he declared to the sage that he was the ultimate Time and Death. Upon learning about this, Sage Markandeya entered into his mouth so as to save himself from the surging water.
After entering the boy’s mouth, inside the boy’s stomach Sage Markandeya is sadi to have discovered all the worlds, the seven regions and the seven oceans. The mountains and the kingdoms were all there. There he found all the other living beings too. However, Sage Markandeya did not know what to make of all this. He started to pray to Lord Vishnu. The sage spent a thousand years with Lord Vishnu. He also composed the Bala mukundashtakam at this moment.
In this way Sage Markendeya – who was a devotee of Lord Shiva, and was granted immortality by him when Lord Shiva and Yama (the God of death) fought to decide the Rishi’s destiny.
King Bali Chakravarthi
At one point in Hindu mythology, it is believed that the Asura King Mahabali, who had conquered all the three worlds, gained so much glory that he even made the king of gods feel intimidated. He is said to have conducted many Yagnas (sacrificial fires) in order to please the Gods. However, fearing that these Yagnas conducted by Bali would grant him powers that would equal that of Indra, Lord Indra then approached Lord Vishnu for help.
So, the Asura king had to be subdued by Lord Vishnu on the request of Indra, after having developed an unhealthy arrogance. Then Lord Vishnu disguised as a Brahmin-dwarf, tricked Mahabali. Eventually he banished Bali to the underworld. But Mahabali remained humble and stayed righteous to the very end of the trial. Pleased with him, Lord Vishnu blessed him with immortality. However, due to his pious deeds on the Earth granted him the boon of being able to visit his subjects or people once a year. The festival Onam is celebrated in Kerala to mark this occasion. This makes him as one of the 8 immortals “Chiranjeevis” in Hindu Mythology.
Lord Hanuman
In Hinduism, Lord Hanuman really needs no introduction, he is believed to be devotion personified, and his strength, form and knowledge characterise him. It is said that whilst other characters from the Indian epic Ramayana achieved their sought-after Moksha, Hanuman ji shunned the heavens and requested to remain on Earth as long as Lord Ram is venerated by people, to reside wherever the name of Ram is taken- such was, and is his love for God. Whoever recites the glories of Lord Hanuman is supposedly certain to overcome life’s miseries and obstacles. It is also said that the person who arrives first, and leaves last from a Ram Katha is always Chiranjeevi Hanuman. There is one very interesting story about a pilgrimage in Mansarovar in the Himalayas in 1998. A pilgrim supposedly saw a light in the cave, of which he took a photo. He died shortly after and when his fellow travellers had the photo developed. It depicts a monkey-formed being, studying what looks like the Vedas.
Vayuputhr or the son of the wind, Hanuman is the dispeller of evil. He is believed to be the symbol of devotion, innocence, strength and knowledge. Instead of going for Moksha, Hanuman decided to stay on earth, wherever Rama’s name was spoken; such was his devotion. He is mentioned in Mahabharata that is believed to have taken place in Dwapara Yuga.
Kripacharya
Kripa was the Kul Guru of the Kurus during the Mahabharat, and whilst his status as a Chiranjeevi is disputed, his impartiality towards all of his students is the most commonly documented reason for his immortality. He is often revered as the ideal Guru. Mahabharata describes this warrior, who is immortal, as ‘Kripacharya was capable of managing 60,000 warriors single handedly in the battle field. He ravaged the whole of the foe’s army like a blazing fire. In fighting the battles bravely, he is comparable only to Karthikeya, the son of Lord Shiva who vanquished the demons.’
Hindu scriptures state that there are seven ‘Chiranjivis’ and among them the prominent one is Kripacharya. Born to Saradvana and Janapadi, Kripa and his sister were adopted by the King Shantanu. As he started to teach the royal children, he got the name ‘acharya’.
The Mahabharata war ended with the victory of the Pandavas, with just 11 survivors. Among them, only three survived in the Kauravas side, including Acharya Kripa. After the Kurukshetra war that ended on the 18th day after the death of 4 million soldiers,Kripacharya was said to be a teacher of Parikshit, grandson of Arjuna. It is also said that theboon of immortality was offered to him by Lord Krishna.
Parashurama
Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu was born to rid the earth of immoral kings and rulers. As the 6th avatar of Vishnu, Parashurama is believed to be the master of all astras (weapons), sastras (techniques) and divine weapons. He received an axe from Lord Shiva after rigorous penance, learned the art of warfare from him making him the first warrior-saint. The Kalki Purana narrates that he will re-emerge at end time to the martial guru of Kalki (the last avatar of Lord Vishnu to occur at the end of the Kali Yug). He will then instruct the final avatar to undertake penance to receive celestial weaponry, required to save mankind at end time.
Vibhishana
The brother of the demon king Ravana, Vibhishan, who fought on Lord Rama’s side that he considered to be his Dharma (righteousness) in the Ramayana. It is believed that he was made a Chiranjeevi to maintain morality and righteousness in Lanka and to guide people over the world in Dharma. Vibhishana was the youngest half-brother of demon king Ravana, who ruled over Lanka. He was the youngest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikesi, the son of sage Pulastya. Ravan, the king of Lanka and Kumbhakarn, were his elder brothers. Although Vibhishana belonged to demon race, he was pious and always considered himself a Brahmin, as his father was the one. Though he belonged to a demon family, he was a noble character.
Ved Vyasa
A sage who narrated the Mahabharata. He represents erudition and wisdom. He was the son of Rishi Prashar and grandson of Rishi vashist. He was born in almost last of Tretayug, lived to see the whole Dwaparyug and also had seen the initial phase of Kalyug. Ved Vyasa only was the creator, the author of the great epic of all time, the Mahabharata. In fact, Ved Vyasa was the great grandfather of Kauravas and Pandavas. When he had to write Mahabharata, he requested Lord Ganesha to assist him. Lord Ganesha put a condition that he’d write only if Vyasa would dictate the whole Mahabharata in one go, and thus, Mahabharata came into existence.
He had great powers of meditation and hence lived a very long life (One of the Immortals). He lived even after all his grandchildren – the Pandavas and the Kauravas had died.
Ashwasthama
Ashwatthama, the son of the great teacher Drona as well as a great friend of Duryodhana who committed three unpardonable sins in Dwapara Yuga. He was one of the warriors who killed Abhimanyu unlawfully, who was only a child; killed the five Upapandavas and Draupadi’s sons after the war was over in their sleep. Therefore, out of fury, Lord Krishna cursed him with immortality. Ashwathama was born with the gem in his forehead that guaranteed protection from disease, weapons and snakebites but Krishna cursed him saying that his wounds would never heal and he will wander in the world and suffer from miseries. This makes him as one of the 8 immortals “Chiranjeevis” in Hindu Mythology.
