Chiranjivins (sing: Chiranjivi) (Sanskrit nominative sing. ciranjīvī, चिरंजीवी) are immortals in Hinduism.
Etymology
From chiram (long) and jivi (lived).
Nature
In Hindu theology, it has been expounded in several puranas and epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana that seven super humans are immortal, free from death's inevitability. They were there in past ages - Satyuga, Treta, Dwapar and are still there in Kaliyuga. These heroes are not eternal as even immortal things are dissolved at the end of the universe, including its secondary creator Brahma but they are death-defying or imperishable personalities. The only eternal being is Shiva (according to Saivism), or Vishnu (according to Vaishnavism).
The Astha-Chiranjivins ("Eight Immortals")
- Mahabali, a righteous demon king who conquered heaven, earth, and the underworld, but was forced to give it back by Vamana.
- Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu.
- Vibhishana, Ravana's brother who was made King of Lanka by Rama.
- Hanuman, who served Rama.
- Vyasa, a sage who narrated the Mahabharata, he was also a sage in the epic.
- Ashwathama, a man cursed to immortality and eternal suffering without love from anybody for his role in the murder of the five sons of the Pandavas and his attempted murder of Arjuna's unborn grandson.
- Kripacharya, a teacher of the princes in the Mahabharata. (This is widely debated whether or not was Kripacharya a Chiranjivin)
- Markandeya, a famous devotee of Lord Shiva