Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

(38) CHIRANJEEVIS (IMMORTAL BEINGS)

Prev Next 21st February, 1946
Yadavalli Rama Sastri came here the other day and asked
Bhagavan, “Swami, people say that the Self is as luminous as
a crore of suns. Is that true?” Bhagavan said, “Certainly!
Granted that its lustre is equal to that of a crore of suns, how
could it be determined? We can’t see with these eyes even the
one sun that is visible. How can we see a crore of suns? That is
a different eye with a different type of vision. When you can
see with that eye, you can give whatever name you like to it, a
crore of suns or moons, or anything you like.”
Some time back, another person asked a similar
question: “It is said that Aswathama, Vibheeshana and others
are chiranjeevis (eternally living beings) and that they are now
living somewhere. Is that true?” “Yes, that is true,” said
Bhagavan. “What is your idea of a chiranjeevi? Those that
know the state which is never destroyed, where is death for
them, and where is birth? They live as chiranjeevis for all
time and at all places. We are now talking about them, and
so they are present here. When it is said that a person lives
forever, it does not pertain to this body consisting of the five
elements. When Brahma Kalpas (ages of Brahma) themselves
come and go like dolls’ houses, is it possible to attribute
permanency to bodies that age?” said Bhagavan.