Who can truly transcend Time?
The Puranas declare that not even the Trimurti—Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva—are beyond the dominion of Time. Their lives endure for unimaginable spans, extending through billions of human years, yet even their cosmic existence comes to an end. When the ordained cycle is complete, Brahma retires into dissolution, Vishnu withdraws creation into Himself, and Shiva too completes His cosmic function.
The One Reality that alone transcends Time is Parabrahman, the Supreme Absolute.
Nevertheless, the Puranas speak of a few extraordinary beings as Chiranjivis—those destined to remain alive across successive ages. Among them are Jambavan, Hanuman, Markandeya, Vibhishana, Ashwatthama, Kripacharya, Parasurama, and King Mahabali, each preserving a unique role in the cosmic order.
Among these immortal beings, Jambavan is revered as the most ancient. He appears in the Treta Yuga as the wise elder and trusted counsellor of Sri Rama, and again in the Dvapara Yuga, where he encounters Sri Krishna. Thus, he stands as one of the rare figures whose life bridges more than one Yuga.
According to an ancient Puranic tradition, Jambavan's birth predates the present creation of the Earth itself. He was born during the Naimittika Pralaya, the periodic dissolution that marks the close of Brahma's cosmic day.
A Chaturyuga consists of the four Yugas—Krita (Satya), Treta, Dvapara and Kali—together lasting 4.32 million human years. One thousand such Chaturyugas constitute a single daytime of Brahma, amounting to 4.32 billion human years. When this immense cycle concludes, creation enters the state known as Naimittika Pralaya, and Brahma begins His cosmic night.
The end of Brahma's day was marked by unimaginable devastation.
The twelve Adityas blazed together with unbearable brilliance. Their combined radiance scorched the worlds until the Earth itself cracked apart. From the depths arose the subterranean fire that struck the face of Adishesha, giving birth to the terrible Vishagni. Thereafter emerged Rudragni, Kalagni, and Lokagni. These five cosmic fires spread across the universe, consuming every form of life.
When all living beings had perished, every soul found refuge within Narayana.
Then a mighty wind issued forth from the nostrils of Brahma, extinguishing the blazing fires. The vast clouds of smoke transformed into seven colossal rain clouds. Darkening the heavens, they poured torrents of rain with streams as thick as the trunks of elephants. Soon the entire universe became an endless ocean of floodwaters, wrapped in profound silence.
Realizing that the appointed hour of His cosmic sleep had arrived, Brahma prepared to close His eyes.
At that very moment, a subtle thought of pride arose within Him.
"I alone am the Lord of Creation. Without me there can be no universe. During this dissolution, creation itself has ceased."
The omniscient Narayana perceived this trace of ego. Desiring to remove Brahma's pride, He took a little wax from His ear and cast it into the waters of the cosmic ocean.
From that divine earwax arose two formidable Asuras—Madhu and Kaitabha.
Their gigantic forms towered over the floodwaters. Tormented by hunger, they worshipped the Divine Mother, who granted them an extraordinary boon: death would come to them only by their own consent.
Empowered by this blessing, the demons roamed the waters searching for a worthy enemy. At last they beheld a magnificent lotus floating upon the cosmic ocean. Seated upon it, fast asleep, was the four-faced Brahma.
Rejoicing at the sight of an opponent, one demon struck Brahma upon the face while the other struck Him from behind. Startled awake, Brahma was seized with fear. Never before had such beings appeared without His knowledge.
His body trembled, and a drop of perspiration fell from His nose upon His thigh. From that single drop was born a child with the face of a bear.
Brahma concealed and protected the infant while fervently praying to Narayana.
Responding to Brahma's prayer, Narayana confronted Madhu and Kaitabha. Through divine wisdom and strategy He slew both demons. Their flesh dissolved into the cosmic waters and solidified into the Earth. Since the world emerged from their medas (fat), the Earth became known as Medini.
As the floodwaters gradually receded and the first lands emerged, the bear-faced son of Brahma stepped upon Jambudvipa. For this reason he came to be called Jambavan.
Throughout the Ramayana, Jambavan is portrayed as the embodiment of wisdom, experience and unwavering devotion. In the Kamba Ramayanam, particularly in the celebrated episode of the Mrita-Sanjivini, he becomes the guiding force behind Hanuman's heroic mission. It is Jambavan who identifies the life-restoring herb, describes the distant Rishabhadri Mountain, and awakens Hanuman to the immeasurable strength that lies hidden within him.
In the traditional Kerala Tholpavakoothu, this episode occupies a place of special importance. The elaborate description of the route from Lanka to Rishabhadri, said to be 73,100 yojanas away, and the explanation for Jambavan's extraordinary longevity are narrated with remarkable poetic beauty. There, Jambavan is not merely an aged bear-chief, but the timeless witness who has observed the rise and fall of countless ages, carrying within him the living memory of creation itself.
