Kakbhushundi – The Chiranjivi Who Saw Countless Ramayanas & Mahabharatas

Who is Kakbhushundi ?

• Kakbhushundi is a teacher who appears in Hindu texts like the Ramayana, the Ramcharitmanas, and Yoga Vaishistha. He is often described as having a human body and a crow’s beak.
• He is thought to be a Chiranjivi, which means “immortal,” and he is said to live until the end of this age (Kali Yuga).
• In the Ramcharitmanas, Kakbhushundi is shown to be a very loyal follower of Lord Rama who tells Garuda (the divine eagle) the story of Rama.

Why he turned into a crow (cursing, transformation)

• There are a few different stories about why Kakbhushundi sometimes looks like a crow:
• Lomas (Lomesh Rishi): The Curse of the Sage Lomasha
• One of the most popular stories goes that Kakbhushundi hurt Sage Lomasha when he argued with him about whether the divine is “saguna” (with qualities) or “nirguna” (without qualities). Lomasha was mad at him, so he cursed him to be born as a crow (kaag / crows) from a line of “chandaala“.
• Since he was cursed, he changed into a crow. But he was also given the blessing that he would remember his love (bhakti) and be able to worship God even there.
• Life Curses and Shiva’s Fury in the Past
• Another layer says that Kakbhushundi was proud and rude to his teacher in past lives. During a worship, he once forgot to properly respect his guru. Shiva was angry about this, so he cursed him to live many lives in lower forms, even as a snake or another creature, before rising again and becoming loyal to Rama.
• In one story, Shiva tells him that he will spend the next 100,000 years in hell. Later, because his guru begged, Kakbhushundi is saved hell’s pain (no more suffering from the demons), but he still has to stay there for all time.
• Combination or Putting Together of Curses
• In many religious spiritual traditions, the story is told in two parts: Shiva curses him for being disrespectful at first, and then his fight with Lomasha causes him to turn into a crow. But there is a divine twist: even as a crow, his soul still holds deep devotion.

The Mahabharata Tale The Roll of the Dice the Turning Point

His Devotion, Powers, and Unique Claims

• Kakbhushundi is attributed several extraordinary spiritual powers and roles, some of which are celebrated in devotional and mystical writings:
• Time-vision / Time travel
• It is claimed that Kakbhushundi has the ability to see both past and future events. In some accounts, he is said to “witness” multiple recurrences of key epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. For example, one legend says he has seen the Ramayana 11 times and the Mahabharata 16 times.
• Because of this, he is often considered one who transcends linear time; he lives through epochs. Some devotees and interpreters hold that his crow form allows him to move between cosmic eras (kalpas) and to serve as a narrator of events across ages.

• Message to Garuda from
• During battle, Lord Rama was tied down by a Nagapasha (serpent noose). Garuda (the bird, Vishnu’s animal) stepped in and freed him. But Garuda wasn’t sure if Rama was really god (Vishnu in human form).
• Garuda was told to go to Kakbhushundi by Narada, Brahma, and Shiva to clear up his question. Then Kakbhushundi tells the whole story, talking about Rama’s good qualities, the reason of the universe, and removing all doubts about Garuda.
• In many versions of the story, this part is told by a crow, which shows that his devotion and understanding are still there even when he is in that form.

• Link with Kabir / JogiJit and Ultimate Salvation
  • Some devotional groups, especially those that follow Sant Kabir, say that Kakbhushundi later became a disciple of a real spiritual master, who is often the same as Kabir or JogiJit, and that is how he achieved full spiritual freedom (moksha).
  • Some stories say that Kakbhushundi’s crow form is not the final state. With help, he goes beyond form and becomes one with the Supreme.
• The “Sukshma Veda” or “Subtle Veda” is a set of holy texts.
  • Some religious or occult writings talk about the “Sukshma Veda,” which is the 5th Veda and means “subtle” or “inner scripture.” In this text, Kakbhushundi and Garuda or Kakbhushundi and cosmic principles talk. These are not common orthodox texts; instead, they show up in spiritual explanations that claim to reveal deeper, hidden truths.
• Having seen many incarnations and Kalpas
  • According to devotional beliefs, Kakbhushundi goes to Ayodhya every time Rama takes a human form in a new heavenly age (kalpa). He does this to see his birth and life. Because of this, his love is said to last forever.
  • He is also said to be the only being who has seen the epics of creation and death over and over again.