Written by: Jiya Sapkota - 25003, Grade IX
Posted on: 28 February, 2022
When we get to elucidate immortality we often start with the phrase, “living forever”. Where scientists are trying to find out the ways to be immortal by testing out a lot of things, religious people are trying out mantras, poojas, havanas and worshipping gods to be immortal too. And to immortality, we call it to have a spiritual or physical afterlife in a religious manner. While in science, we call it to be revived from death or just simply rejuvenate. Sure, both their beliefs are valid but is it really the truth that we can be immortal and live forever?
Life and death
It is true that Life and Death is something that isn’t a joke. Life is simply existence. When we are born, we are brought up to the world. And death is the end of the same existence. Causes of death are mostly classified into three different types; aeging, disease and injury. Ageing is a kind of proof that we are growing older. We are born, time passes and we are a toddler, a teenager, an adult, a senior and then we depart from this life. Sure, we could lose our life early too and that is exactly what disease and injury does. Disease is a life taking thing too, while some diseases are fastly and easily recoverable, some take our life. And talking about injury; both mental and physical injuries are life taking. Physical injuries do a lot of damage to our body, some minor injuries are curable but some aren't. Physical injuries are considered a threat because we never know when we will get injured, but after we do. It’s a lot to handle. And if it's somehow dangerous. It takes one’s life too, same goes to disease. Mental injury or psychological injury provides mental traumas and different kinds of issues. Mental injuries are also one of the reasons behind the rate of suicide growing up. Psychological injuries are sometimes ignored but it is something to which we should really keep an eye on. Psychological injuries are also identified as psychological disorders which are really growing at this point of time. Every year, almost 800,000 people are dying from suicide globally. While suicide also being the main cause of death, the cause of suicide might be manipulation, bully, threat, mental or physical disorders, family and friendship problems, breakups, fights, tortures, mental or physical pressure, assaults, abuse and many more.
Is immortality even possible?
Immortality is very famous in fantasy movies and religious series, books and shows and what not. These fictional worlds leave a scar on our minds and brain and make us believe at least a point or a thing somehow. So, many times we just fantasize about living forever. Scientists and researchers are working day and night trying to figure out whether immortality is possible or not. Paul Nelson said, “As you age, most of your cells are ratcheting down and losing function, and they stop growing, as well.” Many living beings have lived around hundreds and thousands of years but that surely does not mean they are immortal. And till now, nature has not selected any living being to be immortal. And the answer to the question is no, nobody and nothing is living forever even though the lifespan of certain species could be increased.
Immortality Research: Staying Alive
Jon Cohen published an article about this research and project where they tested out if the lifespan of a certain animal could be increased. They tested it out and a certain mouse, GHR-KO 11C lived for almost 5 years which is twice the lifespan of a normal mouse. They removed a gene for growth hormone receptors.
Bibhisan’s immortality
In the hindu mythology, there are eight chiranjeevi's. Chiranjeevi is a word which is the combination of “chiram” which means permanent and “jeevi” means lived. The eight chiranjeevis are considered and believed to be immortal. Bibhisan is one of the eight chiranjeevis. Even Hanuman from Ramayan, who was a great friend of Ram is one of the chiranjeevis. Ramayan is one of the most important Sanskrit epics, also a holy book of hindus. Bibhisan is Ravan’s brother who was claimed as the good one. Bibhisan knew about doing good deeds and he was on the side of Ram during the whole war. He was a good team member and also one of the best companions of Ram. He was one of the reasons behind Ravan’s death as he knew what would kill Ravan, he disclosed the reason to ram and they were successfully able to kill Ravan. His strategies and good plans, deeds made him gain a grant to live forever. He was granted immortality and this is how Bibhisan is immortal in hindu myth.
Immortality is something that isn't believable even in the fictional world. Like if you go upto a person and say, “I am immortal” they’ll surely make a joke out of it. For now we can take an example from this book called, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. This book is known for its major theme, immortality. A character’s wife thinks that he is into and is doing witchcraft because he was not ageing but her wife was. And when we think about it, this thing is actually very false and is all fiction. Ok, we grew up listening to the same old stories where people are immortal and animals talk and what not. We must have listened about our gods being immortal and them using a potion or a liquid called amrit that makes them be immortal. Immortality is one of the strongest powers, we have acknowledged it from many hindu puranas and religious stories too. In this century we often go with the facts and not myths so we believe what science says but religious myths are strongly believed by people and it is believed to a point where people drink out different unusual things to stay alive. But what is the obsession to be immortal anyways? Just like the book, Tuck Everlasting says, “Everything’s a wheel, turning and turning, never stopping. Dying’s a part of the wheel, right there next to being born. You can't pick out the pieces you like and leave the rest, Being part of the whole thing, that’s the blessing.”
