Immortal
The immortal sage Kaka Bhusunda explains what is it like to be an immortal to sage Vasishta in the book Yoga Vasishta. He was the chronicler of all antiquity, and the recorder of the wars of the gods and demons, and the hurling of the high hills in heaven; and yet he was of a clear countenance and profound mind.
The following are some of the things that he witnessed during his long existence:
I remember, O great sage! the earth beneath this mount of Meru to have been once a desolate land, and having no hill or rock, nor trees, plants or even grass upon it.
I remember also the earth under me, to have been full of ashes for a period of myriads and centuries of years.
I remember a time when the lord of day—the sun was unproduced, and when the orb of the moon was not yet known, and when the earth under me was not divided by day and light, but was lighted by the light of this mount of Meru.
I remember this mountain throwing the light of its gems on one side of the valley below it, and leaving the other in utter darkness; and resembling the lokaloka mount presenting its light and dark side to the people on either side of the horizon.
I remember to have seen the war rising high between the gods and demons, and the flight and slaughter of people on all sides of the earth.
I remember to have seen no other creature on earth, except the vegetable creation for the long duration of one half of the four yuga-ages.
I also remember this earth to be full of mountains and mountainous tracts, for the space of full four yugas; when there were no men peopled on earth, nor their customs and usages got their ground in it.
I remember to have seen this earth filled with the bones of dead Daityas and other fossil remains, rising in heaps like mountains, and continuing in their dilapidated and crumbling state for myriads of years.
I have beheld innumerable Munis and manwantaras pass away before me, and I have known hundreds of the quadruple yugas glide away one after the other, all of which were full of great deeds and events; but which are now buried in oblivion.
I remember that age of the world, when the world was a void, and there was no earth or sky nor any of their inhabitants in it, neither men nor mountains were in existence, nor were there the sun and moon to divide the days and nights.
I remember likewise the varying positions and boundaries of countries, and also the very changing and diversified actions and occupations of their people. I remember too the various costumes and fashions and amusements of men, during the ceaseless course of days and nights in the endless duration of time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_units_of_time
I carry in my memory the exploits of the demons Hiranyaksha, Kalanimi, Hayagriva, Hiranyakasipu, Vati and Prahlada and many others of the Danava or Demoniac race.
I remember after the lapse of a thousand cycles of the four Yuga ages, that Brahma created from his mind some aerial beings of unearthly forms; and these spiritual beings occupied a space extending over ten cycles of creations.
I remember to have seen also many new productions and inventions, following one another in succeeding age; and it is impossible to enumerate this innumerable series of things.
This cosmic phenomenon is no reality, nor it is even in existence; it is but a temporary illusion, and appears as bubble of water to disappear in next moment. This temporary illusion of the phenomenals, rises and sets in the conscious soul of its own accord.
