Chiranjivi

In Hinduism, the Chiranjivi () are a group of immortals set to remain alive on Earth until the end of the current epoch, the .

Etymology and scriptural context

The Sanskrit nominal stem () is a compound composed of the adjective ()—here in its adverbial form () —and the noun () , itself derived from the verbal root () . The specific forms () and () are, respectively, the masculine nominative singular and nominative plural inflections of this stem.

The term denotes a being with a lifespan of an entire , distinct from the concept of , which signifies absolute immortality. The distinction is illustrated in mythological narratives: at the end of the last , the 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.

List

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

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

Cirañjīviśloka

The Cirañjīviśloka () is a hymn that names the Chiranjivi and states the effects of their meditation: The states that the remembrance of the eight immortals (Aśvatthāmā, Mahābalī, Vyāsa, Hanumān, Vibhīṣaṇa, Kṛpa, Paraśurāma, and Mārkaṇḍeya) offers one freedom from ailments and longevity.

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