Chiranjivi

The Chiranjivi (Sanskrit: चिरञ्जीवि, IAST: ciranjīvi) are a group of immortals who are believed to remain alive on Earth until the end of the current age known as the Kali Yuga, according to Hindu literature.

Etymology and scriptural context

The term is a combination of chiram, or 'permanent', and jīvi, or 'lived'. It is similar to amaratva, which refers to true immortality. At the end of the last manvantara (age of Manu), an asura named Hayagriva attempted to become immortal by swallowing the sacred pages of the Vedas, as they escaped from the mouth of Brahma. The scripture was retrieved by the first avatar (Matsya) of Vishnu. Other incarnations of Vishnu (Narasimha and Rama) also later fought and killed Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, both of whom tried to become immortal through obeisance to Brahma and Shiva, respectively. In one sense, immortal can mean "to live eternally until the destruction of universes", i.e., all physical bodies are foretold to become immaterial at the end of time, along with the Brahma himself, with the destruction of the universe.

List

The extant Puranas, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata generally describe seven immortal personalities in the Hindu pantheon. Some scholars opine the count to be eight. Each Chiranjivi represents a different attribute of man, which as long as they live, will exist amongst humanity.

Other individuals who are sometimes additionally included to the list are the following:

Chiranjivi Shloka

The Chiranjivi Shloka is a hymn that names the Chiranjivi and states the effects of their meditation:

Ashwatthama, Bali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripa, and Parashurama are the seven chiranjivis, the death-defeating beings. By remembering their names along with Markandeya, the eighth, one gains freedom from sickness and can live up to a hundred years.

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