Chiranjivi

This article is about a group of immortals in Hinduism. For the actor, see Chiranjeevi. For other uses, see Chiranjeevi (disambiguation).

In Hindu scriptures, a chiranjivi (Sanskrit: चिरञ्जीविन्, pronounced [t͡ɕi.ɾɐɲ.d͡ʑiː.ʋin̪], romanized: cirañjīvin, lit. 'long-living') is an immortal being fated to remain alive on Earth until the end of the current epoch, the Kali Yuga.^[1] Several such figures are traditionally enumerated, collectively referred to as the Chiranjivi.

Murti of Hanumān, a popularly recognised chiranjivi.

Etymology and scriptural context

The Sanskrit nominal stem चिरञ्जीविन् (cirañjīvin) 'long-living; one who lives for a long time' is a tatpuruṣa compound composed of the adjective चिर (cira)—here in its adverbial form चिरम् (ciram) 'for a long time'—and the noun जीविन् (jīvin) 'one who lives', itself derived from the verbal root √जीव् (√jīv) 'to live'. The specific form चिरञ्जीवी (cirañjīvī) is the masculine nominative singular of this stem.

While the term cirañjīvin denotes profound longevity, often extending for an entire kalpa (aeon), it is distinct from amaratva, which signifies absolute immortality. The distinction is illustrated in mythological narratives: at the end of the last manvantara (age of Manu), the asura Hayagrīva attempted to attain immortality by swallowing the Vedas as they escaped from the mouth of Brahmā, but the scriptures were retrieved by Viṣṇu in his Matsya incarnation. Likewise, other avatars of Viṣṇu—Narasiṃha and Rāma—slew Hiraṇyakaśipu and Rāvaṇa, respectively, both of whom had sought immortality through devotion to Brahmā and Śiva. In this context, "immortal" can signify not absolute eternity but rather survival until the cosmic dissolution, when all embodied beings, including Brahmā himself, are destined to lose their material form with the destruction of the universe.^[2]

List

The extant Purāṇas, the Rāmāyaṇa, and the Mahābhārata generally describe seven immortal personalities in the Hindu pantheon.^[3] Some scholars opine the count to be eight.^[4] Each chiranjivi embodies a distinct attribute of humankind; that attribute persists among humankind for as long as the chiranjivi lives.^[5]

Name	Description
Aśvatthāmā	The son of Droṇa. Droṇa performed many years of severe penance to please Shiva to obtain a son who possessed the same valour as the deity. He is regarded to be an avatar of one of the eleven Rudras. He was cursed to be immortal by Krishna for the attempted murder of Parikshit, suffering from incurable painful sores and ulcers.[6]
Mahābali	The king of the asuras, he was regarded to be a benevolent ruler. He overran the three worlds and overthrew Indra. He was exiled to the realm of Pātāla, the netherworld, by Vāmana, an avatar of Viṣṇu, to restore cosmic order,[7] and was blessed with immortality by the deity.
Vyāsa	The sage and author of the Mahābhārata. He represents erudition and wisdom. He is the son of sage Parāśara and Satyavatī, a fisherwoman.[8] He was born towards the end of the Dvāpara Yuga.
Hanumān	A great vānara devotee of Rāma.[9] A brahmacārin, he stands for selflessness, courage, devotion, intelligence, strength, and righteous conduct.
Vibhīṣaṇa	A brother of Rāvaṇa. A rākṣasa, Vibhīṣaṇa defected to Rāma's side before the Laṅka War owing to his devotion to dharma. He was later crowned the King of Laṅka after Rāvaṇa's death. He stands for righteousness.[10]
Kṛpa	The royal guru of the princes in the Mahābhārata. Along with his nephew Aśvatthāmā, he was among the lone survivors of the Kaurava warriors who fought in the Kurukṣetra War.[11]
Paraśurāma	The sixth avatar of Viṣṇu. He is knowledgeable in the use of all the divine weapons (astra) and the treatises (śāstra). The Kalkipurāṇa states that he will reemerge at the end of time to be the martial guru of Kalki. He is stated to instruct the final avatar to undertake penance to receive celestial weaponry, required to save mankind during the end times.[12]

Other individuals who are sometimes additionally included to the list are the following:^[13]

Name	Description
Mārkaṇḍeya	A sage and the author of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. Fated to be an exemplary child who would die at the age of sixteen, his devotion to Śiva rescued him from an early death from Yama, the god of death. The deity blessed him with immortality for his ardent faith.[14]
Kākabhuśuṇḍi	A devotee of Rāma, he narrates the story of the Rāmāyaṇa to Garuḍa in the form of a crow.[15]
Jāmbavān	The king of the bears. He was born from the yawn of Brahmā and was already six manvantaras old during the period of the Rāmāyaṇa. He assisted Rāma in his quest to rescue his wife in the epic.[16]
Agastya	A great sage. He is the composer of many hymns in the Ṛgveda and is regarded the father of Siddha medicine.[17]
Nārada	A mind-born son of Brahmā and sage-divinity. He travels to different worlds and delivers tidings carrying his vīṇā.[18]

Chiranjivi Shloka

The Chiranjivi Shloka (Sanskrit: चिरञ्जीविश्लोक, romanized: cirañjīviśloka) is a hymn that names the Chiranjivi and states the effects of their meditation:

Original Sanskrit: अश्वत्थामा बलिर्व्यासो हनुमांश्च विभीषणः। कृपः परशुरामश्च सप्तैतै चिरञ्जीविनः॥ सप्तैतान् संस्मरेन्नित्यं मार्कण्डेयमथाष्टमम्। जीवेद्वर्षशतं सोऽपि सर्वव्याधिविवर्जितः॥

Transliteration: aśvatthāmā balirvyāso hanumāṃśca vibhīṣaṇaḥ kṛpaḥ paraśurāmaśca saptaitai cirañjīvinaḥ saptaitān saṃsmarennityaṃ mārkaṇḍeyamathāṣṭamam jīvedvarṣaśataṃ so'pi sarvavyādhivivarjitaḥ

English translation: Aśvatthāmā, Mahābali, Vyāsa, Hanumān, Vibhīṣaṇa, Kṛpa, and Paraśurāma are the seven chiranjivi. One who remembers these seven daily, along with Mārkaṇḍeya as the eighth, Will live for a hundred years, free from all ailments.

The mantra states that the remembrance of the eight immortals (Aśvatthāmā, Mahābali, Vyāsa, Hanumān, Vibhīṣaṇa, Kṛpa, Paraśurāma, and Mārkaṇḍeya) offers one freedom from ailments and longevity.