Seven immortals: The Seven Eternal Values  

By GIRISH BHANDARI  

Seven immortals: The Seven Eternal Values  

In the Indian tradition there are seven immortals: Aswathama, Bali, Vyas, Hanuman, Vibhishana, Kripacharya and Parashuram. They symbolise certain higher ideals.

Aswathama, the son of Guru Dronacharya, was a mighty warrior. He had even learnt the art of invoking the Brahmastra, the ultimate weapon of destruction. One day, after the Mahabharata war was over, and when the Pandavas were away, he and a posse of men entered the camp of the Pandavas by stealth and killed all the male members in complete disregard of the prevailing ethics of warfare.

He was later overpowered and arrested by the Pandavas. His life was spared but his crown jewel - a gem - was prised out of his head. He was condemned to live for ever, the wound festering, never to heal. It was a warning to future generations that a great warrior's life, bereft of good conduct, is a life given to eternal suffering. That is karmic retribution. Ashwathama's flawed immortality is a grim reminder of the consequences of unethical behaviour.

King Bali is immortalised because even Vishnu had to humble himself as Vamana to conquer him. He stands out for his valour and charity - two great eternal qualities. Bali knew fully well who Vamana was. Yet, he prepared to surrender all he had, to his Lord. So this man of grace is still revered.

Vyas, the great scholar and writer, the author of Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavatam, is another immortal, a shining beacon of erudition and wisdom. A katha-wachak reading from the holy texts, is said to ascend the Vyaspeeth - blessed by the immortal Vyas. He comes to represent the continuity of erudition, scholarship and the apotheosis of the writer as the ultimate visionary.

Hanuman exemplifies selflessness, courage, devotion, energy, strength and righteous conduct. He stands for the potential that is inherent in all of us. He also represents the air, the atmosphere and thus the life-breath - the prana. Sita is believed to have bestowed on him the boon which made Hanuman ever-youthful, energetic and immortal.

Vibhisana had unshakable faith in what he believed. He was a fearless counsellor of righteousness even when all around him were given to sycophancy and peer pressure. As a follower of right conduct, Vibhisana survived unscathed while tragedy befell the unrighteous king and his followers.

Kripacharya was an extraordinary teacher. To him, all pupils were equal. A guru like Dronacharya favoured Arjuna and sacrificed an equally if not more promising student - he asked Ekalavya for his right thumb. Kripacharya, on the other hand, upheld the highest standards expected of a teacher: He was impartial.

Parashuram was master of martial arts. No one could beat him - whether the tools were astras, sastras or divine weapons. He had no temporal ambition. Had he so wished, he would have been the greatest Chakravarti Samrat India had ever known. But he lived a hermit's life. He was also one who never hesitated to admit a mistake.

During Sita's swayamvar, after Ram had broken the divine bow of Shiva, Parashuram asked both Ram and Lakshman for forgiveness. Despite his excellent qualifications, he did not hesitate to apologise in all humility that he had lost his reason in anger. Parashuram symbolises excellence and strength, tempered by humility.

These seven immortals exemplify certain basic truths, laws and standards of ethical behaviour which transcend time, locale and generation. They are universal and immutable. Their immortality is therefore not mere deathlessness - it is more the immortalising of each divine principle they stood for and upheld even in the face of adversity and pressure.

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More from same author see: GIRISH BHANDARI  

See also: Seven immortals, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)