During Dashain the elders bless there youngers saying “चिरञ्जीवी हुनू” or be Immortal. But what is the background beyond immorality?
In Hinduism, immortality is not merely physical; it transcends the mortal coil and extends to the eternal nature of the soul. It is said there are seven immortals in Hinduism. They are Ashwatthama, Mahabali, Ved Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripacharya, and Parshurama. These beings are still alive today and aroma in in the mountains and jungles of India. It is said they will assist Lord Kalki in eradicating evila and restoring a moral society. It is said one can gain freedom from sickness and love upto hundred years by remembering the seven immortals.
The quest for immortality has haunted many civilizations. This quet has haunted the Egyptian and Mayan civilizations and kept the civilizations running. The Egyptians believed in the eternal life of the soul, which could be achieved through proper burial rituals and the preservation of the body. Pharaohs were often buried with treasures to aid their journey into the afterlife, and elaborate tombs like the pyramids were constructed to ensure a form of immortality. Similarly, the Mayans believed in the eternal nature of the soul, and their rituals often involved offerings to ensure the gods’ favor and prevent the soul from becoming lost after death
In many philosophical and ancient civilizations immortality is specifically is conceived as continual existence of soul or mind after the physical death of the body. It is said soul is immortal and nothing an destroy the soul. The body is just the vehicle and immortality is just processing matter. Third eye can process matter. particularly in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, it is emphasized that the soul (Atman) is eternal and unaffected by the physical death of the body.
The quest for immortality whether it may be divine beings, rituals or preservations of the soul continues to be significant theme. In Hinduism, the concept of immortality is not just evading death but understanding the eternal nature if the soul and its journey through countless lifetimes. The quest for immortality continues to captivate and inspire people around the world.
