Chiranjeevins

All you want to know about Chiranjeevins

Chiranjivins (Sanskrit nominative sing. ciranjīvī चिरंजीवी) are the eight long-lived persons in Hinduism.

1 Etymolgy
2 Few immortals
3 Meaning
4 References
5 External links

Etymolgy

The term is often written Chiranjeevin in English. The word is a combination of "chiram" (long) and jīvi (lived). This word is often confused with immortality ("amaratva").

Few immortals

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.
Hanuman, who served Rama.
Kripacharya, a teacher of the princes in the Mahabharata.
Mahabali, a righteous demon king who conquered heaven, earth, and the underworld, but was forced to give it back by Vamana.
Markandeya, a great rishi
Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu.
Vibhishana, Ravana's brother who was made King of Lanka by Rama.
Vyasa, a sage who narrated the Mahabharata, he was also a sage in the epic.

There are several other personages known as chiranjivins, like Jambavantha (Jambavan).

Meaning

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 , 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 obtaining boons from devas.

An alternate Hayagriva story was that Hayagriva (horse-headed) could only be killed by another Hayagriva. The Asura Hayagriva terrorized the three worlds. Somehow, while asleep, Vishnu was decapitated, and a horse head replaced his "human-like" head, and he was able to defeat Asura Hayagriva.

References

^ Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3.32.8-10

External links

Ciranjivas

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