In Hinduism, what does "immortal" mean? Is there a limit on an immortal's lifespan?

Question

I would like to clarify that this question is not about immortals, or about how to become an immortal. It is about the word immortal in Hinduism.

We have a very brief idea, that an immortal is only a supreme being and we know one day the whole universe will end. Therefore it is clear that no one is truly immortal (as they speak in English).

What I actually wanted to ask is what is the limit of an immortal's life? a Yuga, a Mahayuga, a Kalpa or something larger? If my assumption is true, do these vary with every immortal?

Answer 1

Immortal is brahman. So lifespan of someone who has attained brahman is that of brahman. And this is not containable or measurable using our physical frames of reference for time or space.

Lord Dattatreya says to not even bother attempting to understand the beginning of time and creation. Sage VyAsa says the same in the brahma sUtrAs. Therefore, it is inferred that the magnitude is immeasurable using our earthly units of physics.

You may also refer to Upanishad slOkas that are chanted before prostrating in front of a yatIswara. They indicate that the state of brahman is beyond the wordly realm. They start as "na karmaNA , na prajaya, dhanEna, tyAgEnaikE amRtatva mAnusuhu".

Here is one link to the chant and its translation. Look at the table on page 1.

Answer 2

There can be two context I can refer immortality

1)Soul Context

2)Bodily Context

In Soul context every soul is immortal .It is never born and never going to die.

Bodily context, Immortalism can equate to either chiranjeevi or amara in hinduism. Chiranjeevi is someone who is long living. Amara is the one who is deathless.We all know about samdra manthan and people who could drink nector became amara.

But amara jeevas are NOT deathless . They live up to end of manvantara. Chiranjeevis would live until end of time.

Answer 3

Super soul (God) and Jivatman (individual soul) are both immortal. However our physical, material bodies are not immortal. In fact nothing in material world is immortal nor it is supposed to be. And once the material universes end the new cycle of creation will begin. There is no permanent end in the Eternal Religion. Cycles of creation and dissolution of material universes will go on. At the time of dissolution of material universes those souls are still not disturbed who have already attained moksha because they are already in Golok Vrindavan or Vainkunth, the abode of God. And when material universes are annihilated the abode of Lord is still untouched and unchanged and eternally blissful as Krishna says:

"When Brahma's day is manifest, this multitude of living entities comes into being, and at the arrival of Brahma's night they are all annihilated." - Bhagwad Gita (chapter 8, verse 18)

"Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved." - Bhagwad Gita (chapter 8, verse 19)

"Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this universe is annihilated, that part remains as it is." - Bhagwad Gita (chapter 8, verse 20)

"That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode." - Bhagwad Gita (chapter 8, verse 21)

Now question arises what happens to those souls at the time of dissolution of material universes who have not attained liberation from material existence? Such souls enter God in deep sleep but obviously their material bodies are dissolved and awakened again when new cycle of creation begins in new material bodies. And one more thing is when individual souls enter God they don't lose their existence. They remain in unmanifested and impersonal God but maintain their individuality.

So in short the Super Soul and individual soul both are immortal.