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Tidbits-10



Who and Who Are Chiranjeevee (Immortal)
Chiranjeevee means who never dies. But literally it is not so. Everybody knows that even Brahmaa has to die one day and take birth again. That is another matter that everybody has his own Aayu (life span). In fact a Chiranjeevee has the live span of a Kalp - Brahmaa's one day (excluding night).
There is a Shlok in Mahaabhaarat about the names of Chiranjeevee :

Ashwatthaamaa Balirvyaaso Hanumaanashch Vibheeshanah
Kripashch Parashuraamashch saptaite chirjeevinah,

which means: (1) Ashwatthaamaa,  (2) Daitya Raaj Bali (the King who encountered Bhagavan Vaaman),  (3) Vyaas Dev,  (4) Hanumaan,  (5) Vibheeshan,  (6) Kripaachaarya  and  (7) Parashuraam Jee - these 7 people are Chiranjeevee.

There are in fact three more names in this list, that is of Maarkandeya Muni, Takshak Naag and Kaagbhushundi Jee.

1. Ashwatthaamaa - The first name of a Chiranjeevee comes to our mind is of Ashwatthaamaa. He was Dronaachaarya and Kripaachaarya's sister Kripee's son. Vishnu Puraan says that next Ved Vyaas (divider of Ved) will be Ashwatthaamaa.

2. Bali (Daitya King) - He got this Var from Vaaman Bhagavaan when He came to ask him three feet land to retrieve Trilok from him. In Vardaan, Vaaman Bhagavaan said, "You would be Indra in next Manvantar (in 8th Manvantar - the present Manvantar is 7th).

3. Hanumaan - He got this Vardaan from Seetaa Jee when Raam, on the occasion of his coronation, distributing many gifts. Hanumaan asked that "I should live to hear your name as long as people take it on this Earth." Then Seetaa Jee gave him this Var to him that "On all possible places people will establish your idols so that wherever people take the name of Raam you can hear it."

4. Vibheeshan - Raavan's brother Vibheeshan got this Vardaan from Shree Raam when he defected his brother and came in shelter of Raam. Raam put a Tilak on his forehead, declared him the King of Lankaa and gave this Var to him.

5. Kripaachaarya - He is also Chiranjeevee. He did not die in MBH war. Only three people remained alive after the war - Ashwatthaamaa, Kritvarmaa and Kripaachaarya. Ashwatthaamaa was already Chiranjeevee and so was Kripaachaarya.

6. Parashuraam Jee - Son of Maharshi Jamadagni Jee

7. Ved Vyaas Jee - Son of Paraashar and Satyavatee.

5. Kaagbhushundi - The crow who was given Vardaan of keeping the same body throughout, and being Chiranjeevee and telling Raam Kathaa to all kinds of birds by Raam. He himself has said that he had lived for 27 Kalp. He was given the Var (boon) by Ram Himself that "You will never be affected by Kaal (Time)." [Raamaayan, 7/10]

7. Jaambvant - Jaambvant who fought from Raam's side in Raam-Raavan war is also Chiranjeevee. His daughter Jaambvatee was married to Krishn in Dwaapar Yug.

8. Maarkandeya - Although Rishi Maarkandeya was born with the life span of 16 years only, his devotion to Shankar Bhagavaan brought this Vardaan to him.

9. Takshak - Takshak, the son of Kashyap and Vinataa, is also immortal. Its reference is found in Bhaagvat Puraan, when Janamejaya does Sarp Yagya and calls all snakes to be burnt in the Yagya; Takshak gets frightened and coils around one of the legs of Indra's throne. When he comes to know about this he offers Aahuti to bring Takshak along with Indra; and they both start falling down towards the Havan Kund. Then Brahmaa Jee intervenes and stops Janamejaya to stop this Yagya as both were immortal.

10. Indra     see     Takshak above.

Note: I do not know about Ved Vyaas Jee and Parashuraam Jee as how they became Chiranjeevee, because I am not aware of any reference stories in which they were given the Var of being Chiranjeevee, although when MBH says that they are, they should be. But I know that Kaagbhushundi Jee, Jaambvant and Maarkandeya Muni are Chiranjeevee.


Who Drank Rivers or Oceans
In Hindu mythology there are a few stories in which Rishi etc had drunk river or ocean.

(1) Agastya Muni -
Once Raakshas Ilval and Vaataapi, Viprachitti's sons, were troubling Rishi Muni very much. So Devtaa were trying to kill them. Agastya Muni had already eaten Vaataapi Raakshas in Raamaayan times, only Ilval and his other companions remained. Devtaa successfully defeated them, still Ilval escaped and hid in the sea. It was difficult for Devtaa to find him in such a big sea, so they went to Agastya Jee to help them. Agastya Jee said - "I can help you to dry the sea, but then you yourself look for Ilval there." Devtaa agreed. Agastya Jee dried up the whole sea by drinking only three handful water from it. When the sea was dried up, Devtaa found Ilval and killed him.

(2) Utathya (Angiraa's son) -
"Dowson' Classic Dictionary of Hindu Mythology"
Bhadraa, the daughter of Som, came to be regarded as unrivalled in beauty. so her father Som married her to Utathya thinking him the fittest of husbands for her. Now Varun Dev, who had formerly been enamored of her, carried her off from Utathya's hermitage, when she had plunged into the Yamuna for a bath. Abducting her thus, Varun took her to his own abode. Utathya then sent Naarad Jee to bring his wife back from Varun's house, but he would not give her up to him. Utathya got very angry at this and drank up all the sea, but still Varun Dev would not let her go. So Naarad Jee came back to Utathya and cheerlessly said, "O great ascetic, Varun has driven me out from his house, seizing me by the throat. He is unwilling to send you back your spouse. Do as you please." Hearing these words of Naarad Jee, Utathya became very angry. Endued with wealth of penances, he solidified the waters and drank them off, aided by his energy. Varun became very sad at this, still he did not give up Utathya's wife.

Then Utathya, that foremost of regenerate persons, filled with wrath, commanded Earth, saying, "O Earth, Do show land where there are at present the six hundred thousand lakes." At these words of the Rishi, the Ocean receded from the spot indicated, and land appeared which was exceedingly sterile. Then he addressed to the countries and to the river: -- "Hey Saraswatee River, disappear into the deserts, and let this land, deserted by thee, become impure." After Utathya had made countries dried up, Varun submitted himself to Utathya and brought back his wife Bhadraa to him. The sage was pleased to get back his wife, and released both the world and Varun from their sufferings.

[Utathya's one wife is known as Mamataa whose son is Deerghtamaa who was born blind]

(3) King Jahnu -
when King Bhageerath was bringing Gangaa on Prithvi to give Moksh to his 60,000 great grandfathers, King Jahnu was doing his Poojaa in between. As Gangaa passed by from the place, his all Poojaa materials flowed in her waters. Seeing this he got angry and drank all her water. When Bhageerath did not find Gangaa following him, he returned and found that King Jahnu had drank her all the waters. He told him the purpose of bringing Gangaa on Prithvi and requested him to release her. Pleased with his request, he threw out her water from both of his ears and regarded Gangaa as his daughter. From that day she was called "Jaahnavee".

(4) Rishi Aurv
Rishi Aurv did not dry the water of the ocean by drinking it but he dried it by throwing his anger into it. His Anger took the form a horse mouth - Badavaa Mukh, and through it, it dried the whole ocean.
[MBH, G-3-Youth/8]


Who Are the Divine Naag (Serpents)?
In our scriptures, there are these following nine Naag (serpents) are Divine.

Anantam Vaasukim Shesham Padmnaabham cha Kambalam
Shankhpaalam Dhritraashtram Takshakam Kaaliyam tathaa
Etaani navanaamaani Naagaanaam cha Mahaatmanam
Saayankaaley Pathe Nityam Praatah Kaaley Visheshatah
Tasya Vishbhayam Naasti Sarvatra Vijayee Bhavet

Anant, Vaasuki, Shesh, Padmnaabh, Kambal, Shankhpaal, Dhritraashtra, Takshak, Kaaliya


Which Sisters Were Married to Father and Son
Bhaagvat, 3/10  and  Bhaagvat, 4/1 say that Kardam's two daughters - Khyaati and Shaanti (or Chitti) were married to Maharshi Bhrigu and Maarshi Dadheechi respectively. Dadheechi was Bhrigu's brainchild.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 5/27/04
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 12/08/12