Talk:Chiranjeevin
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[edit] The theory behind 'chiranjeevis'
I have read an explanation of this in the Malayalam book Bharata Paryatanam (A journey through the Mahabharata) by the scholar and author Kuttikrishana Marar which was a winner of the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award in the 1970s.
The idea is that a chiranjeevi in the Hindu mythology is not one who won't die, but that they represent seven different natures/characteristics which will stay with the mankind for ever. Marar mentions this only in passing, so we have work out most of them for ourselves.
Each of the seven immortals stands for one of these :
- Hanuman - servility
- Ashwathama- senseless spirit of retribution, even when he has nothing to get out of it.
- Vibhishana - the back-stabber
- Bali (demon) - the one who lands up in trouble trying to be helpful, and doesn't change his character even when he knows he is going to land up in one
- Kripa - the gutless one who knows what is right but hasn't got the courage to stick with it and relents when pulled in the other direction (as when Ashwathama wanted him to co-operate in murdering the remainder of the Pandava army)
- Parashurama - one who acts before thinking and then repents.
- Vyasa - not sure.
If this looks interesting, shall I incorporate in the article ? Tintin 06:01, 6 September 2005 (UTC)
This looks very sensible to me. These characters represent the true nature of people we have in the Kalyuga.
