Discover

'Chiranjeevins' (Sanskrit nominative sing. ''ciranjivi'' चिरंजीवी) are the eight immortals in Hinduism:

★ Ashwathama, a man cursed to immortality and eternal suffering without love from anybody for his role in the murder of the five sons of the Pandavas and his attempted murder of Arjuna's grandson.

★ Mahabali, a righteous demon king who conquered heaven, earth, and the underworld, but was forced to give it back by Vamana.

★ Vyasa, a sage who narrated the Mahabharata, he was also a sage in the epic.

★ Hanuman, who served Rama.

★ Vibhishana, Ravana's brother who was made King of Lanka by Rama.

★ Kripacharya, a teacher of the princes in the Mahabharata.

★ Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu.

★ Markandeya, a great rishi
There are several other personages known as ''chiranjeevins'', like Jambavantha (Jambavan). However, in Hinduism, "immortal" does not mean eternal. Even immortal things are dissolved at the end of the universe, including its secondary creator Brahma^[1]. The only eternals are Vishnu and Shiva of the Trimurti, i.e. manifestations of Brahman (the Supreme Reality), Sheshanaga (the Eternal Serpent), and the four Vedas.
At the end of one universe, i.e. ending of one Kalpa and the beginning of another, demon Hayagriva attempted to become eternal by "swallowing" the Vedas as they escaped from Brahma's mouth, but the Vedas were restored by Vishnu's avatara, Matsya. Vishnu also killed other asuras like Hiranyakasipu and Ravana who tried to become immortal by obtainig boons from devas.

Contents

External links

External links

★ Ciranjivas