7 Immortals In Indian Mythology

In Hinduism there are 7 immortal living being which are known as Chiranjivi (a Sanskrit nominative).These living being have been living since a long time and intend to live on earth till the end of current Kali Yuga.

The world is a cycle of four stages i.e. Maha Yuga; these are mentioned in the Sanskrit scriptures

1. Satya Yuga

2. Treta Yuga

3. Dwapara Yuga

4. Kali Yuga

According to the ancient times, when Krishna left the Earth and returned Vaikuntha there ended the stage of Dvapara and started the stage of Kali Yuga.

It is said in Sanskrit,

"Ashwatthama Balir Vyaso Hanumanash cha

Vibhishana Krupacharya cha Parashuramam

Saptaita Chiranjeevanam"

Which means 'Ashwathama, King Mahabali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripacharya and Parashurama are the seven death-defying or imperishable personalities’.

Chiranjivi is a term out of which Chiram is ‘permanent’ and jivi is ‘lived’. It is referred to true immortality.

The Chiranjivis are as follows:

1.Veda Vyasa

Veda Vyasa was one of the seven immortal character and called as Chiranjivi. His real name was Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa. He was born to sage Parashara and Sathyavatithe adopted daughter of fisherman Dusharaj and was a grandson of sage Vashishtha. He gave birth in Tanahun district which is in Nepal. It is also said that he was born on an island in the Yamuna River near Kalpi, Uttar Pradesh, India. He was born at the stage of Treta Yuga and lived to see the Dwapara Yuga and saw the initial stage of Kali Yuga.

Veda Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata and also known as Puranik for the scribe of Puranas i.e. ancient age and Vedas.

He appeared in Mahabharata as an important character. It is said that he was an expansion of god Vishnu who took birth to make sure that all the medic knowledge was put forth in written which was then available in spoken only.

Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura son of Ambika, Ambalika and maid was born with the help of powers Veda Vyasa known as Siddhis.

2. Hanuman

Lord Hanuman is considered as the true devotee of Lord Rama. He served Lord Rama. He is known for the Naistika Brahmachari or ideal Brahmachari and played an important role in the epic Indian story of Ramayana. He is born to Anjani and Kesari and is known as the son of the wind god Vayu who played the role of Wind god. He was born in Anjaneri, Nashik, India.

He is known as god of strength, knowledge and Bhakti, supreme destroyer of evil. He stands for courage, selflessness and devotion. He is the considered the only scholar to know all the nine Vyakaranas. He learned Shastras from Suryadev, the sun god.

He is the messenger who was chosen by lord Rama and the minister and Sugreeva.

In Indian people refer Hanumanji to show devotion and service.

Hanuman played an important role in Ramayana war which was against Ravana, the king of Srilanka. Hanuman was the one who found Sita Devi in lanka sitting on a tree and also was the one who helped restore Sita Devi back to Lord Rama.

When it was of the departure of the Lord Rama to Vaikuntha, Hanuman requested him to let him stay on stay on Earth as long as Lord Rama was devoted by people and Sita Devi accored him with the desire of him. It is said that Hanuman is still alive and lives in the mountains of Himalayas.

3.Parashurama

He is considered the 6th avatar of lord Vishnu in Hinduism. He was intended to have the knowledge of all the sastras, astras and divine weapons. He was born to Jamadagni and Renuka as Brahmin, and known as Brahmin-Kshatriya. He carried number of Kshatriyas which includes warfare, aggression, serenity and valor. Along with Hanuman and Indrajita he is also known as the only Atimaharathi warriors ever born on the Earth. His weapon Axe was named as Vidyudhabi.

4. Vibhishana

Vibhishana, was the younger son of Kaikesi and sage Vishrava who was the son of the sage Pulatsya and was the younger brother of Rakshasa King Ravana and the king of sleep, Kumbakarna. Vibhishana was although a Rakshasa but he considered himself a Brahmin as his father and was a noble and even advised Ravana who kidnapped Sita Devi to return her to Lord Rama but after not accepting the advice Vibhishana deserted Ravana and joined the army of Lord Rama. After defending Ravana the king of lanka, Vibhishana was crowned as the king of Lanka. He ruled after the death of his older brother Ravana and in the reign of the King Yudhishthira. In the History the Sinhalese people devoted Vibhishana and considered him as one of the Sathara Waram Deviyo i.e. four guardian deities.

5. Ashvatthama

Ashwatthama or Ashvatthaman or Drauni, son of guru Drona and Kripi, the grandson of sage Bharadwaja. He was born with a gem on his forehead from which he gains his powers and protected him from hunger, thirst and fatigue. Ashvatthama is considered to be the one of the 11 Rudras and one of the seven chiranjivi to live on the earth. He was crowned as the King of Panchal by his father when Arjuna from Pandava defeated the king Draupada of Panchal. In Mahabharata, Ashvatthama is known as horse-voiced. Ashvatthama is the one who fought on the Kaurava side against Pandava in Kurukshetra war. It is believed that Ashvatthama is the only survivor from the Kurukshetra war. The plot of his faked death weakened his father guru Drona and later led to death by Dhrishtadyumna. Later he was appointed as the chief commander of the Kaurava army. He is the Chiranjivi but later after Pandava defeated Kaurava, Lord Krishna cursed him to live forever and can neither communicate with anyone nor touch anything, with his body covered with painful sores and ulcers that would never be cured.

6. Bali

King Bali is immortal because even lord Vishnu has to humble himself as Banana to conquer him. He stands out for his interpidity and charity. These are the two main and great qualities. Bali knew who Vamana was but yet he prepared to surrender all he had.

7.Krupacharya

Krupacharya was an excellent teacher. According to him all students or pupils were equal. A guru like Dronacharya favoured Arjuna and sacrificed an equally promising student. He asked Eklavya for his right thumb. But Krupacharya upheld the highest standards expected of a teacher. He was impartial.