Evolution of species in Vedic perspective

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Sharing this very interestingly elaborated concept.......

 

 

On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 11:17 PM, Parama Karuna <xparamakaruna wrote:

 

 

Dear Friends, Namaskar and Hari Om!

In pursuance of a question

I received through private correspondence, I would like to post some

elaboration on the subject, believing it might be interesting for our

members..

 

The Vedic perspective

regarding the evolution of the species is radically different from the

Darwinian model. The reason is that it is based on the concept of jiva,

but in a slightly different way than what you expressed.

The idea is that it is the

INDIVIDUAL JIVA that evolves through all the various species (as we can

also see confirmed in the early development of the embryos during

pregnancy - all mammals' fetuses appear to undergo an accelerated

" evolutionary " process from aquatic to reptile to bird to mammal to

human, becoming differentiated from the fetuses of each species in the

various stages of pregnancy).

The various species DO NOT

EVOLVE, they have been created SIMULTANEOUSLY at the beginning of the

creation of the universe AS A DNA CONCEPT.

Sometimes they are

manifested, and sometimes they " become extinct " in accord to the

availability or non-availability of jivas who have developed the

suitable character to play the role of that particular species, and

according to the particular environment that is favorable to their

existence.

We also need to remember that life is not present only on this planet, but is

found all over the universe (sarva-gatah).

 

Vedic knowledge does make

distinctions between the various species, but they are distinctions

based on the CONSCIOUSNESS LEVEL rather than on the shape of the body.

 

Vishnu Puranas:

jala-ja nava-lakshani sthavara laksa-vimsati

krmayo rudra-sankhyakah pakshinam dasa-lakshanam

trimsal-lakshani pasavah catur-lakshani manushah

 

“There are 900,000 species

living in the water. There are also 2,000,000 nonmoving living entities

(sthävara), such as trees and plants. There are also 1,100,000 species

of insects and reptiles, and there are 1,000,000 species of birds. As

far as quadrupeds are concerned, there are 3,000,000 varieties, and

there are 400,000 human species.â€

 

Within this species, genus

family and race are also present, but they are usually not considered

very important in the lower (i.e. more elementary) species of life,

because within the same species the level of consciousness is generally

the same.

Things change in the

higher species, i.e. the species in which the level of consciousness

becomes more evolved, so that we see a remarkable difference between

different species of birds (see the crow and the swan, for example),

and the quadrupeds or mammals (see the monkey, the cow, the lion, the

elephant, the dog, the wolf, etc for example).

Finally, the greatest variety in genus and family is found in human species.

The equivalent of the

Darwinian Homo Sapiens (a category that has also become rather confused

in the last decades) is the human species the Vedas call " Nara " . Within

the manus " genus " we also find other compatible " genuses " (this means

that the members of the various human species can intermarry and

produce offspring) such as Yaksha, Rakshasa, Naga, Gandharva, etc.

Within the Nara group we

find many races, including the tribal peoples that do not traditionally

follow the Vedic knowledge and regulations, sometimes the descendents

of mixed origin (between Naras and other groups), often listed in Vedic

and especially Puranic literature.

Again, the categorization

is done by observing the level of consciousness and behavior, as the

body/mind set of a particular species (as in jati) allows a specific

range of consciousness and behaviors. Anyone who is physically

(body/brain) capable of pronouncing the Names of God and the Vedic

mantras should chant them, anyone who is physically capable of

worshiping God should do so.

All the Manus can and

should engage in Sanatana Dharma according to the Vedic system, also

considering that the Vedic system afford great varieties of paths and

methods within Sanatana Dharma, broadly categorized under Vaishnava,

Shaiva, Shakta, etc.

 

PKD