CHIRANJEEVI - The eight immortals of Hindu Dharma

The  eight immortals

The Hindu way of life states that the samsara of life and death is eternal until one obtains liberation or moksha. Life continues between birth and death until the elusive Moksha is obtained, either through good karma or nirvana. No living thing is immune to fate. Yet, according to Hindu Dharma, there are eight such individuals who have been granted or cursed with immortality and are supposed to still be alive today. The Astha Chiranjeevi, or the Eight Immortals, are their names. Chiranjeevi is a Sanskrit word that translates to "long-lived person," "Chiram" and "Jivee" (means lived). Amaratva, or Immortality, is another name for the word. Chiranjeevi is a Sanskrit word that translates to “long-lived person,” “Chiram” and “Jivee” (means lived). Amaratva, or Immortality, is another name for the word. In Hindu dharma, the eight Chiranjeevis are immortals who have survived from one Satyayuga to the next, i.e., are alive on our planet, and will continue to live through the Kali Yuga while waiting for the next Satya Yuga. Asura King Mahabali, Maha Rishi Markandeya, 6th Vishnu Avatar Parashurama, Vibhishan, Hanuman, Ved Vyasa, Kripa-Charya, and Ashwatthama are the eight Immortals (Chiranjeevi) mentioned in Hindu holy writings.

 Asura king Mahabali 

Asura King Mahabali

Mahabali was the great-grandson of the sage Kashyapa, the great-grandson of Hiranyakshipu, the grandson of Prahlada, and the son of Virochana. His state was affluent and ran in peace. Ashwamedha Yaga had been arranged by Bali to preserve his control over three worlds. Tensions and unease arose in heaven and among the Gods as a result of this. Lord Vishnu was eventually summoned at the request of the Devas. Vishnu appeared in his Vamana form near Bali during the rite and requested land from Bali. Vamana, also known as the Brahmin Boy (Vishnu Avatar), only requested territory that he could cover in three steps. With his two steps, Vishnu avatar Vamana travelled all of the earth and Heaven, and Bali offered his head to Vamana as a stepping stone for the final step. Finally, Bali had no choice but to become the underworld. 

Vamana, pleased by Mahabali’s devotion, bestows upon Bali the title of Indra during the Manu time known as Svari. Bali was allowed permission to visit his homeland once a year due to his selfless commitment, dharma, and unbreakable word. Every year, the Onam celebration is held in Kerala to welcome Mahabali back to his homeland.

Maharishi Markandeya

Sage Markandeya was a Bhrigu clan member who worshipped both Shiva and Vishnu. Mrikandu rishi and his wife Marudmati worshipped Shiva and asked for the favour of having a son from him, according to mythology. As a result, he was given the option of having either a gifted son with a short earthly life or a child with a lengthy earthly life. Mrikandu rishi picked the former and was given Markandeya, an excellent son who would die at the age of 16.

Markandeya grew up to be a great Shiva devotee, and he continued to worship Shiva in his aniconic form of Shivalingam on the day of his destined death. Because of his profound dedication and constant worship of Shiva, the emissaries of Yama, the god of death, were unable to take his life. Yama then appeared in person to take Markandeya’s life and snatched the young sage’s neck with his noose. The rope landed around the Shivalingam by accident or fate, and Shiva appeared in all his rage, assaulting Yama for his act of aggression. Shiva revived Yama after defeating him in combat to the verge of death, under the condition that the faithful youth live for the rest of his life.

Parashuram

Parashuram

Parashuram, Vishnu’s weapon-wielding temperamental incarnation, was a warrior who was both feared and respected by many. He was born into a Brahmin household, yet he was different from the other Brahmins. Instead, Parshuram possessed Kshatriya characteristics. Aggression, fighting, and valour were among the Kshatriya attributes he possessed. As a result, he is known as a ‘Brahma-Kshatriya,’ as he possessed skills from both clans.

Parshuram is a Shraman martial ascetic. Unlike all other avatars, Bhagwan Parshuram, however, continues to exist on Earth today. Second, he is an Avesha Avatar, which is a form of secondary Avatar. Vishnu, unlike Rama or Krishna, does not directly descend into the soul of a man in such an Avatar. Instead, he enters the soul of a man with his form. 

King Kartavirya Sahasrarjuna and his soldiers are reported to have sought to steal Parshuram’s father’s magical cow, Kamdhenu, by force. He killed the entire army, as well as King Kartavirya, since he was enraged and spiteful. In Parshuram’s absence, the king’s son killed Jamadagni in retaliation for their father’s death. He went on to slay all the king’s sons, corrupt Haihaya Kings, and warriors on the land, enraged and hurt by their acts. He carried out the Ashvamedha sacrifice and handed over all of his possessions to the priests who carried out the ceremony.

Bhagwan Parshuram was the Guru of the warrior Karna in the Mahabharata. Lord Krishna received the Sudharshan chakra from Parshuram, according to legend. The principal goal of Vishnu's sixth incarnation, according to legend, was to relieve the world of its weight by assassinating sinful and irreligious rulers who neglected their responsibilities.

Another legend in the Kalki Purana claims that Parshuram is still alive and well on the planet. It says that Parshuram will be Shri Kalki’s martial guru, and that Shri Kalki will be Lord Vishnu’s final avatar. To satisfy Lord Shiva, he directs Kalki to perform a long ceremony. Lord Shiva will bestow Kalki with celestial armament after he is delighted.

Vibhishana

Vibhishana

Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka, had a younger brother named Vibhishana. Vibhishana, while being a Rakshasa, had a noble nature and counselled Ravana, who kidnapped and abducted Sita, to restore her to her husband Rama in a timely and orderly manner. Vibhishana joined Rama’s army since his brother refused to listen to his advise. Rama later crowned Vibhishana as king of Lanka after defeating Ravana. Vibhishana symbolises devotion to Shri Rama, and as a demon devotee, he demonstrates that the Lord makes no distinction between his devotees based on birth or life circumstances.

When Vibhishana became King of Lanka, he led his people away from the road of evil and onto the path of Dharma (righteousness). Queen Sarama, his wife, also supported him in this endeavour. Trijata was his daughter’s name.

Lord Vishnu told Vibhishana at the end of his Rama avatar to stay on earth and serve the people, guiding them to the path of truth and Dharma. As a result, Vibhishana is one of the eight immortals known as Chiranjeevins. Lord Vishnu also told Vibhishana to worship to Lord Ranganatha, the family deity of Rama’s birthplace Sun Dynasty.

 

Hanuman

Hanuman

Hanuman was born to Anjana and Kesari, according to Hindu religious traditions. Because of traditions surrounding Vayu’s role in Hanuman’s birth, he is also known as the son of the Vayu Deva (Wind God, himself a son of Vishnu).

According to hinduism, while his mother was worshipping Shiva, Ayodhya’s King Dasharatha was executing the Putrakama yagna ritual in order to have offspring. As a result, he was given some sacred kheer to share with his three wives, and Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna were born. A kite caught a sliver of the kheer and dropped it while flying over the woodland where Anjana was worshipping.

The falling pudding was delivered by Vayu, the Hindu god of the wind, to Anjana’s outstretched palms, who ate it. As a result, Hanuman was born to her.

Hanuman is the focus of the Sundara Kanda, the Ramayana’s fifth book. Hanuman joins Rama in the final year of Rama’s 14-year exile following Ravana’s kidnapping of Sita and assists them in finding her and defeating Ravana. Hanuman is portrayed as Rama and Sita’s ideal follower (bhakta). The Bhagavata Purana, the Bhakta Mala, the Ananda Ramayana, and the Ramacharitmanas portray him as a gifted, strong, brave, and spiritually dedicated servant of Rama.

Several versions of the Ramayana indicate that Hanuman is blessed with immortality near the conclusion, just before Rama and Lakshmana die. While Rama’s storey goes on, he will always be a part of humanity.

 

Ved Vyas

 

Ved Vyas with Ganesh 

Another immortal, Vyas, the great scholar and writer who wrote the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavatam, is a brilliant beacon of knowledge and wisdom. The Vyaspeeth – sanctified by the immortal Vyas — is reported to ascend after a katha-wachak reading from the holy texts. He comes to embody the apotheosis of the writer as the ultimate visionary, as well as the continuation of erudition, scholarship, and the apotheosis of the writer as the ultimate visionary.

Vyasa is also thought to be one of the Astha Chiranjeevis (immortals) who, according to Hindu religion, are still alive. “Veda Vyasa” is a title given to the authors of the Vedas who are avatars of Vishnu, according to the Vishnu Purana; so far, 28 persons with this title have appeared.

Guru Purnima is a celebration devoted to him. On his birthday, it is also known as Vyasa Purnima.

It is stated that he was the expansion of the god Vishnu, who came in the Dwaparayuga to write down all of the Vedic wisdom that was previously only available in verbal form. Satyavati, the daughter of the fisherman Dusharaj, and the wandering sage Parashara were his parents.According to Hindu legend, Vyasa divided the primal single Veda into three canonical volumes, with the fourth, known as Atharvaveda, becoming Veda only much later. As a result, he was known as Veda Vyasa, or "Splitter of the Vedas," a feat that permitted mankind to comprehend the Vedas' heavenly knowledge.toyasa Maharshi, also known as Veda Vyasa, was a sage who narrated the Mahabharata epic. Vyasa is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu by Vaishnavites.

Kripacharya

 

Kripacharya

Kripacharya is one of the Mahabharata’s most notable and significant characters. He taught Mahabharata’s young princes how to fight. He also educated Parikshit, Arjuna’s grandson, after the Kurukshetra conflict.

“Kripacharya was capable of managing 60,000 warriors single-handedly in the battlefield,” the Mahabharata says of Kripacharya’s ability. Like a raging inferno, he ravaged the enemy’s entire force. He is only equivalent to Karthikeya, Lord Shiva’s son who defeated the demons, in terms of bravery in combat.”

The virtue of impartiality is exemplified by Kripacharya. Despite the fact that he was aware that the Kauravas were acting immorally, he carried out his duties impartially and showed his thanks to the Kauravas by providing him with food and shelter in the palace.

Lord Krishna bestowed immortality on Kripacharya by a benediction. Kripacharya was chosen for the immortality meeting ahead of Dronacharya because he exemplified noble values such as truth, righteousness, and impartiality. He refused to compromise his ideals even under the most trying of circumstances, and he stands out as the noblest of individuals in this regard.

 

Ashwathama

 

Ashwathama

Ashwatthama is one of the Astha Chiranjeevi and an avatar of one of the eleven Rudras. Ashwatthama, along with his maternal uncle Kripa, is thought to be a living Kurukshetra War survivor.

Dronacharya and Kripi had a son named Ashwatthama. Drona spent many years in penance in order to satisfy Lord Shiva and have a son with the same valiance as Lord Shiva. Ashwatthama was born a Chiranjivi with a gem in his forehead that gave him power over all living species lower than humans, as well as protection from hunger, thirst, and exhaustion.

A troubled and restless Ashwatthama hatched the idea of invading the Pandava camp at night the night after Duryodhana’s defeat. When they arrived at the Pandava camp, they were blocked in by a Bhairava. As a result, Ashwatthama worshipped Lord Shiva and offered himself as an oblation, pleasing Shiva and Parvati. First, Ashwatthama kicked and strangled Dhrishtadyumna, the Pandava army leader and the assassin of his father Drona. There are various distinct versions of the storey at this stage. In some of the stories, Ashwatthama mistook the sleeping Upapandavas for Pandavas and killed them. In others, he is well aware that he is murdering the Upapandavas and does that because he can’t find the Pandavas.

The Pandavas and Krishna return to the carnage the next morning to look for Ashwathama, who has sought safety in Vyasa’s Ashram. When Ashwasthama realised he was about to die, he invoked the deadly Brahmaastra, only to be met with another Brahmaastra from Arjuna. Knowing the damage the terrible weapons may cause, Vyasa requested that the warriors rescind the astras. Arjun succeeded, but Aswashtama was unable to do so and instead diverted to Uttara’s womb, where the Pandavas’ lone lineage resided. Aswasthama was cursed because Lord Krishna protected the baby.

Ashwatthama was requested to give up the jewel on his forehead, and he was cursed for 3000 years to wander the woodlands with blood and puss seeping from his wounds, wailing for death. Dying would not meet him because he had no fear of death during the conflict. He will have neither hospitality nor lodging; he will be completely isolated from humans and society, with no means of physical communication. The wound on his forehead produced by the removal of this gem will not heal, and his body will be infected with a variety of incurable diseases, resulting in sores and ulcers that will not heal for 3000 years.