7 Immortal Characters who are still alive -Chiranjeevis
Chiranjeevi mean to lived long life without death, Chiran –refer as to permanent and jeevanam mean life or lived or being immortal hence it is referred in context to Amarta.
This earth and the whole universe is completely cover up with Maya Shakti ( also known as Illusion or Bhranti Or Bhram), hence whosoever is born on this planet has to die one day and that is sure because this principle is made by almighty himself in which he himself has bound with this rules.
But there is few great soul born on this earth who has been granted boon of immortality, these great personalities are Ashwathama, King Mahabali, Sage Vyasa, Lord Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripacharya, and Parashurama.Few believe there are 8 Immortal Soul -Chiranjeevis in List of Immortal Souls of India.
“Ashwatthama Balir Vyaso Hanumanash cha Vibhishana Krupacharya cha Parashurama Saphtaita Chiranjeevanam”
You may find my word as fake or imaginary but it is true that this 7 people still exist even in 21st century and are said as 7 Immortal Soul.
Few people say and include Sage Markadeya also in the list of immortal soul but the majority of script and saying believe only 7 people are still alive with their physical body.
There are great sages and monks born on Indian soil who lived for 200 – 500 year in physical body like Shri Trelang Swami who has been on this planet for 280 year.
Udasin Akhada saint ( named I forgot ) his ashram is in Worli, Mumbai ,he has lived for 350 year and many such instances we can find on our Indian soil but when we come to immortality it is always read in book but in reality those souls still exist. So let begin with each great individual.
Ashwatthama:
The son of Guru Dronacharya – who was a mentor for Pandava and a great warrior.
Ashwatthama named to given to him because during the birth time this child create a sound like to horse ( ashwa mean horse in Sanskrit ) at the same time.
Aakashwani came ( Aakashwani is an medium said in Hindu mythology wherein a universe power manifest itself in voice form and predict the future to great soul) and said that this child will be famous and named after “Ashwatthama”.
Ashwatthama was a great warrior who has mastery in the science of war – 64 types of skills and 18 Vidya -branch of knowledge.
This child is said to be gifted with Mani- lighted gem on his forehead which Draupadi ( wife of Pandavas ) had to forgive Ashwatthama for killing their sons but she ( on the advice of Arjun ) has removed this pious mani from the forehead of ashwatthama.
Ashwatthama was great soul but because of his one mistake in great Mahabharata war, he was cursed by Lord Krishna.
MAHABHARAT
It is said that Ashwatthama has killed the baby in the womb of Uthara by mean of Brahma-Astra and also killed 5 children of Pandava as a revenge of his father- Guru Dronacharya who was killed in conspiracy created by Krishna and Pandava.
Krishna has cursed him that he will remain immortal still this universe exist with many wounds and cuts by war and Sudarshan chakra (weapon of Krishna )
Ashwathama still alive ?
It is said that after Mahabharata war Ashwatthama run away, Bhima chased him and ashwatthama reach at Asthawa shetra which is currently at border of Maharashtra and Gujrat – here the fight took place between Bhima and ashwatthama, during war Bhima’s Gadha ( weapon ) touch ground and later on it become Bhima kund.
Today at that spot there is also Ashwatthama kund. It is said that Ashwatthama comes here daily and many times he guides the tourist who has to forget the lane to this destiny.
It is said that in Madhya Pradesh – there is a remote place 12 km away from Mahu.
There is a hilly area known as Vidhyachal Giri there lies a Khojhana-Mahadev Mandir which is a place wherein on daily basis – Ashwatthama comes and worship Lord Mahadeva.
Ashwatthama is seen by many people at night times and also in the early morning (3 am-5 am ) in few area of India like Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Uttarakhand.
Few says that ashwathama still alive is also seen in Gujarat –Saurashtra jungles asking for Makhan ( clarified butter ) to people at night times at their door so that he can apply this on his forehead to get some relief on wounds.
Hindu text says that Ashwatthama will be next Vyasa and may become one of the Sapta-Rishi.
It is said that Ashwatthama is the manifestation of Rudra and possess same power as Rudradev. Hence, we ca’t denied this facts that “ashwathama still alive”.
Maharaja Bali:
Also known as Mahabali or Maveli who was benevolent king of asura and also an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu who resides in the Kerala State of India.
His kingdom was extended from Vidyachal in North India to South India – Kerala as his capital.
He was the grandson of Saint Prahlad who himself was a great devotee of Shri Vishnu Bhagwan also known to Vaishnav as Narasimha Bhagwan ( the lion god – an incarnation of Vishnu ).
Extremely delighted with the penance and devotion, Lord Vishnu came to test his devotion and manifest himself in form of a small child named as Vaman ( devotee priest ) – an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Vamana came to King Bali and ask him for charity as kind was known for his greatness in charity hence on demand of this boy who asks for 3 paces of land.
King Bali ask to take the portion as much he can, on this word –this boy grew his body extremely large by size and shape covering whole earth and sky and took 2 step covering his 2 worlds ( king bali has domination of 2 world: Earth and Swarga Lok), he was on urge performing fire veneration ( 100th Yagna )
So on advise on his Guru- Shukracharya by which if Bali perfom 100 yagna he would get Indra-Asan hence the Brahmin boy cover 2 worlds in his 2 feet and in third feet where there was no wealth remain with King Bali, he himself offered his own head to place the third pace, by doing so King Bali goes to Paatal-Loka .
Delighted by the devotion and sacrifice of this demon king, Vaman gives a boon to King Bali – that he will remain immortal still this universe exist in Kaliyuga.
Thus King Bali is said to manifest its physical form at the time of ONAM which is the festival celebrated in South India by Malayam and gives the blessing to the devotees.
It is said that Bali will be next Indra during the time of 8th Manu.
Sage Vedavyasa:
Born to Rishi Parashar and Satyavati – Satyavati was the daughter of Apsara Adhika – Adhika is said to be curse women fish who reside in Yamuna river.
Vedavyasa was a great tapasvi of that era.Vedavyasa is also known as Krishna-dvepayan and it is said that he is the avatar of Lord Vishnu.Vedvyasa mean COMPILER.
He was born to compile the Great Veda as before Veda Vyasa – the Vedas were not compiled and it was studied and taught through Guru-shishya parampara,
It was Shri Vedvyasa who make Vedas available to people by compiling its proper structure and categorized in 4 part viz – Rigveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda, and Yajurveda.
Vedavyasa is also the composer and narrator of great epic Mahabharata wherein he chooses Lord Ganesha as his script writer who keeps writing the script without taking a break and that too without any grammatical errors.
It is said that after compiling the 4 Vedas, Vedavyasa was not satisfied with his own work.He was analyzing as for why he is not getting internal satisfaction to his work.
At that point, his mentor – Narad Muni arrived and advise him that: “You have done a great job of a compilation of Veda but in Kali-yuga – the human will not read and understand the great Vedas and they will indulge in sense gratification.
You need to create a masterpiece which contains devotion part and qualities of Lord Vishnu”. Hence on advise of his mentor, Vedvyasa created Shrimad-Bhagawatam which contain great attributes of Lord Krishna, its glory, and his devotion path. It is said that Shrimad Bhagavatam is 5th Pursuant.
Vedavyasa is said to be immortal since Dwapar-Yuga and he was also a character in Mahabharata.
The birthplace of Shri Vedavyasa is said to be born in Tamauli which is in Nepal. Vedavyasa is also great human among the list of 7 immortal humans.
Sage Vedavyasa birthday is celebrated as Vyasa Poornima OR Guru Poornima throughout the INDIA.
Hanuman:
No need for an introduction to this Demigod.Hanuman is the benchmark of devotion and dedication.He is a foremost devotee of Lord Vishnu avatar – Shri Ramachandra ji.
Born to Monkey King Kesari and Anjana. Lord of wind – Lord Vayudev is said to be his Godfather hence he is also known as Vayuputra. Hanuman is said to an incarnation of Lord Shiva ( Rudra-avatar).
It was Hanumanji who search Mother Sita ( Wife of Shri Ramchandraji) in Ashoka Vatika in Lanka which currently known to us as Sri Lanka.
In those time Lanka King was Shri Ravana who was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and great kriya yogi, influencer, scholar and occult expert in that era.
When Hanumanji saw Maa Sita in Ashoka Van wherein the servant of Ravana was irritating her.
He came in front of Sitaji and offer the ring of Shri Ramchandraji to motivated her. Delighted by hanuman devotion and affection, Sitaji gave him a boon of immortality.
Hanuman is said to be best scholar and yogi in those times, nobody was able to beat Hanumanji in any aspects whether it is, Veda Puran, Darshan Shastra ( philosophy), Yogavidya, Bhakti etc.
Hence, Rambhakt Shri Tulsidas has to say: “Jai Hanuman Gyan Gun Sagar” – Hanuman is said to be Knowledge Bank and an ocean of higher qualities and wisdom.
Hanuman has learned the great knowledge of Shastra from this Spiritual Mentor – Bhagwan Surya knew as Lord Surya –God of Fire.
Lord Surya has given him knowledge of 9 Vidya. After learning 5 vidya from his mentor suryadev, his mentor said I can teach you only 5 vidya rest 4 Vidya is to be taught only to those devotees who are married.
Shastra says that Unmarried don’t have the right to learn rest 4 vidya, upon this hanuman get sad and was thinking what to do further as he was Bal-Brahmachari ( Brahmacharya is said to celibacy ) since hanuman don’t want to break his celibacy and want to learn rest 4 vidya ,Mentor-Suryadev suggest him to marry his daughter –Suvarchana.
Upon the suggestion of Lord Surya, Hanuman gets marry to Suvarchana but after the marriage, she went for meditation, penance Hence hanuman vow for Akhand Brahmacharya was remain firm and get learned rest 4 vidya from his Guru Suryadev.
Hanuman has also learned other important vidya from his other mentor – Shri Shaunak Rishi.
This great sage has blessed him with 16 Siddhiyas ( Siddhi – is a divine power blessed to those yogis who achieved a high level of spiritualism through meditation and penance.
Through this 16 siddhis, a yogi can do anything in this universe, he is almost next to almighty).
In current India, one can find the temple of Hanuman with his wife Suvarchana in Khammam region of Andra Pradesh, INDIA.Here many devotees, especially couple do come and take the blessing of Hanuman and Suvarchana.
It is said that after visiting this temple couple receive blessings and their marriage life is granted as a boon.
Many scholars say that Hanuman also gets blessed with a son named Makardhwaj who has played a distinctive role in epic –Mahabharata.
It is said many people have still get darshan of Shri Hanumanji, among them are 13th Century’s Madhavacharya and Raghvendra, 16th Century’s –Great Poet Tulsidas, 20th Century –Shri Ramkrishna Paramhansa.
There is special mantra wherein by reciting one can get darshan – a manifestation of Hanumanji in a different form, i.e either dream, illusion or exact human form.
But to get Darshana of Hanumanji is very tough as in Kali-yuga – today human lack satvik quality to received the Darshana and blessing of Shri Hanumanji.
Vibhisan :
The youngest son of Sage Visharva and Kakashi, also the brother of great scholar King of Lanka- Ravana and Khumbhakarana. Although he was born to demon family he was blessed with great qualities of humanity.
He was a righteous and pious devotee of Lord Ramchandraji, thus when Ravan capture wife of Shri Ramchandraji, Vibhishana keep on requesting his brother to free Sitaji from Lanka and handover respectfully to ram and apologize for the same.
But being in a cage of big ego Ravana ignore his words and announce the war against Shri Ramachandraji.
It was Vibhishana who reveal the secrets of his brother immortality to Shri Ramchandraji that gives him victory upon Ravana else to win upon that great war was impossible for Lord Rama.
During the fight of Shri Ramchandraji and Ravana, Rama keep trying to kill Ravana but on every attempt Ravana becomes alive, astonishing with Ravana power.
Vibhishan told to Rama that he ( Ravana ) is blessed with immortality due to Amrut which is dispersed from amrut kund which is beneath the umbilicus cord and it is active due to complete Jagran of Satchakra of Kul-Kundalini.
Thus if anyone want to kill Ravana then he has to destroy the amrut kund of Ravana .
Hence Shri ramchandraji perfom Shiv Pooja on spot of war and request Lord Shiva to help to kill ravana.
Thus delighted with this devotion Lord Shiva offer Rama –Pashupatreya Astra and Agni Baan to killed Ravana by targeting his amrut kund in Nabhi Pradesh ( umbilicus cord ) .
Hence Ravana was killed by rama by the help of Vibhishana.
After Ram-Ravana war ,Shri Ramchandraji not only crowned Vibhishan as new King of Lanka but also bestowed him the boon of immortality.
Therefore from Satyuga to till date, Vibhishan is still alive with his physical form as well as in astral form.
Kripa Or Kripacharya :
Born to Shardwana and Janapadi , he along with her sister Kripi was adopted by King Shantanu.Rishi Shardwana is said to born with arrow hence it was a clue that this child be a great archer in future.
Unlike his father Gautam Rishi ,Shardwana keep practicing archery and became Master Shardwana was so skillful that Lord Indra get scared to lose his kingdom ( Indrasan ) thus to distract him, Indra sends Devkanya –Janapadi to break his vow of celibacy and penance.
From Janapadi and Shwardana born 2 children who were left by their parents, hence by passer King Shantanu heard the cry of twin babies.
He adopts them and named girl baby as Kripi and baby boy as Kripa. This children’s grew up with all knowledge and education of the royal family.
Kripa like his own father became master in archery and later he was appointed as teacher to the royal family to teach archery and other vidya.
Kripa twin sister get married to Shri Dronacharya who was a teacher to Pandavas and Kauravas.
Kripa was fighting against Pandava in great Mahabharata war and he was only among 18 people who remain alive after this war.
Kripa and his nephew Ashwatthama are only 2 warriors of Mahabharata who remain immortal of Dwapar Yuga. After the Mahabharat War, Kripa surrenders himself to Pandav and went to Hastinapur with Pandava.
According to Shrimad Bhagwat, Kripa is Sapta-rishi in Sawarni Manu era and will play an important part in Kali Yuga also.
Kripa was also appointed as Teacher to King Parikshit – grandson of Arjuna. Kripa was so powerful in archery that he alone has killed 60,000 soldiers in Mahabharat.
Kripa never wants Mahabharat war to get happen as he knew that Pandav was right on their position and always try avoid this war but been born in Hastinapur under king Shantanu he unwillingly has to fight against Pandava.
Parshuram :
Born to Brahmin couple Jamadagni and Renuka, Parshu mean Axe and Ram derived from lord Rama name.
Parshuram was great yogi and scholar, Hindu mythology says that he achieved his mastery and teaching from Lord Shiva through meditation and penance, delighted by his virtue and honesty.
Lord Shiva blessed him a power Axe and Brahmastra and gave boon of immortality.Parshuram is said to be 6th Avatara of Lord Vishnu among 10 Avatara.
Once king Kartikeya-Arjuna who was guest at Rishi Jamadani ashram, took his service but when he gets to know that Rishi Jamadagni is blessed with Kamdhenu – a cow divine cow who fulfilled all the wishes and gives food to his whole army of thousands soldier, king demands for kamdhenu.
Upon refusal of Jamadagni, King Kartiverya-Arjuna forcefully took a cow with him to his kingdom. When Parashurama get to know the whole incident he went to King Arjun, fought a war and killed King Arjuna and took back his cow to ashram
To take revenge of father, their son killed Parshurama father –Rishi Jamadagni.
Thus in the fit of anger, Parashurama took wow of killing not only to King Kartiverya Arjuna sons but also to kill each and every Shatriyas who are on Adharma path.
Hence Parashurama killed Shatriyas on this planet but been get effected from Brahma-hastya dosha and to clear its karmas he took vow to remain his life under strong penance and meditation at Mahendra parvat.
Parshurama is also said to be Mentor of Bhishma and Karna of Mahabharata.
Hindu scripts also say that Parashurama was also present in Lord Rama and Sita Swayambhara and also curse his disciple Karna for hiding his own identity as Shastriya hence due to the curse of his Guru- Parshurama, Karna died in the great war of Mahabharata.
Scripts say that once Renuka went to take bath in a river there she saw a divine man with lots of glory and attraction on his face, he get attract toward his persona but on other movements, she get alert that she herself is Brahmin Patni hence such evil thought should not come to his mind.
She returns to the ashram but her husband jamadagni through his divine power get to know the whole incident and in the fit of anger order his 4 sons to kill her wife Renuka.
But they refused to do so hence he orders his elder son Prashuram to kill his sibling and mother.
On words of the father, Parashurama killed his brothers and mother Renuka.
Father Jamadagni get happy on Parashurama as he fulfilled the order of his father, henceforth he ask for boon, so Parashurama demand to give life to their brothers and mother Renuka but on one condition that he should vanish with the memories of killed by him (Parashurama)
Wish you all HAPPY MAKAR SANKRANTI
Let me know how you found this article on 7 Immortal Soul of Mahabharata ?
Cheers,
Nirav Hingu
Avic Ghost
Some Information is not entirely given such as after Dark Age, what happen with then. right?
Bhargavi
Good knowledge but yes some characters are missing how the part how they got immortal.
Nirav Hiingu
Hi Bhargavi,
There are not only 7 Soul but in facts there are many such souls who achieved Amartatva through deep meditation.
Madhusudhanan
Hello
well written. Is there any connection between Parashuram and Mahabali (Maavali)?
Nirav Hiingu
Hi Maadhu ji,
I have’t found such relationship between Parshuram and Mahabali. If find any such clear evidence i will publish it.
Chandana Krishna
I thought that Ashwattama was dead because he was cursed for killing Draupati’s five sons while they were sleeping.
Nirav Hiingu
No Chandana ji, he is till alive.
Vanshika
Thanks for the information 👍
Nirav Hiingu
Happy my blog are helping people and they like the article.
b k singh
Nicely written article as information. It will be better to explain in modern world in terms of management parlance and changing dynamics of conflicts of faiths Abrahiminic, Islamic and nihilistic view on Sanatan dharma