Theory Of Evolution behind the Ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu
Bhagavad Gita reads that in living entities when there is a n upsurge of unnatural activities,and a discrepancy in the discharge of the dharmas...
God himself reincarnates in an embodied state (jiva) on earth. These incarnations are not subject to the minds impurities of delusion, ego and attachments.
All power is manifest as they incarnate on earth...and they have clear knowledge of their divine purpose of maintaining dharma.
Dharma is essential to man's existence.
For it is these laws that keep order in the universe. The dharma of individual soul cannot be altered. For example, if you light a match there is fire. Wherever there is fire,there is light and heat...so it is safe to say that light and heat are the dharma of fire. Fire cannot change it's dharma. The individual souls dharma is a natural sequence, or connection.
An occupational duty of giving service to God.
As known in Santana Dharma the Trinity includes Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Vishnu is the embodiment of goodness and mercy.
A supreme soul that maintains cosmic order.
A controller of time itself. He sustains and governs all things in creation.
An endless duty of making sure the universe continues seamlessly.
At most the energy of the universe remains balanced, but at times becomes unbalanced. When this happens, at the request of other Gods,Vishnu will descend personally or by incarnations in physical form to set balance again.
Even though opinions differ, there are said to be ten principle avatars of Vishnu who are generally recognized as the most important.
These incarnations continue to be taken on as intervention on behalf of the world.
Evolution of life, has been a controversial topic among Scientists and Hindu communities.
Charles Darwin tossed the idea of evolution of species, which explains that all species of life have descended from common ancestors, and it occurred by a process called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence allows organisms to become more adapted the environment.
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Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism is well known for their use of statues/deities for representation of planets & energies.
There are numerous stories in Hindu verdict texts often with deep meanings that cannot be understood by ordinary minds and most of them have been ignored as their literal meaning do not make any sense.
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According to Hindu religion, there are three main deities: Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Brahma is a deity who represents the cosmic function of creation, while Shiva represents the cosmic function of destruction. Vishnu represents the cosmic functions of maintaining & preserving. Vishnu is said to take forms of an avatar at various periods in history to take the necessary actions responsible for sustaining the universe.
So whats the connection between this and the evolution of theory...??
It's quite interesting to note that the sequence of appearance of Vishnu on earth is in completely in tune with the theory of evolution.
There ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu taking the form of an avatar on Earth and all of these events have been recorded by Bhartya (Indian) Sages thousands of years before
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MATSYA:
born as a fish in Satya Yuga. It's said to have rescued Saint Vaivaswata from a great flood that covered the world.
Scientific commentary:
The first incarnation or avatar was in the form of a fish. If we compare this with biological evolution of species, it's confirmed that the first life originated in water and happened during the Cambrian Period.
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KURMA -
a giant tortoise also born during Satya Yuga offered his back to carry the weight of Mount Mandara that was sinking. The mountain was being used by demons as a churning stick in order to reach an elixir of immortality hidden at the bottom.
Scientific commentary:
This avatar was in the form of a tortoise. We all know that tortoise is a creature capable of living both on land & in water, which indicates the transition of life from water to land.
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VARAHA -
born as a boar during Satya Yuga. For thousands of years battled demon Hiranyaksha. The demon had stolen the earth from it's rightful place in the sky and carried it to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. After defeating the demon Varaha put the earth between tusk and carried her back....restoring the balance and order.
Scientific commentary:
The third avatar was in the form of a Boar. This indicates the evolution of an amphibian animal to a land animal.
(It is Eocene- Paleocene epoch in the tertiary period of Earth’s evolutionary process)
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NARASINGHA -
born at the end of Satya Yuga as half man-half lion. He killed a demon using his claws,while laying on his lap,under a courtyard threshold of his home at exactly dusk. The demon Hiranyashasipu had been trying to kill his own son. Finding a loophole in the boon that the demon had received,that he could not be killed by animal nor man,day or night,inside or out,on earth or stars and with no weapon living or inanimate ....
Narasingha was able to protect the boy.
Scientific commentary:
Half man and Half animal, and indicates the transformation from animal to human form. This may be early-extinct human ancestor such as someone who could be the missing link between apes and humans.
(This was the Oligocene-Miocene epoch of cenozoic era of Earth’s evolution)
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Vamana Avatara -
VAMANA - the dwarf. First to be born in human form and during Treta Yuga. A demon king Bali had become very powerful and had extended his kingdom over three worlds. VAMANA , being very intelligent tricked the King into granting him as much of his empire he could take in three steps. As his wish was granted Vamana grew to the size of the world. With his first step he covered the earth. Second step he covered all heavens. While doing so his feet where washed by Brahma in his kamandula pot and Ganga was born out of this pot. In a third mighty step Bali was pushed back to Patala Loka.
Scientific commentary:
Described as a dwarf or pigmy sized human being, indicates the complete transition into human form, and the beginning of intelligence in humans. This was the period of Pliocene, and could be the Neanderthals, who were shorter than modern human beings.
(Homogan , it is in neogene period and Miocene division of evolution)
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PARASHURAMA -
born in Treta Yuga,the first warrior with training in both warfare and meditation. He received an ax after a penance to Shiva,where he received a boon of immortality. He killed a King named Kartavirya who had stolen a Divine cow that could grant wishes. The King and his army had visited Parashurama's fathers ashram.
The King insisted on having the cow, the father declined his request. Taking the cow by force and destroying the ashram and Parashurama's whole family. The avatar then destroyed the evil king and his entire family and took a vow to destroy all evil warriors on earth. After many generations of fighting, he stopped and continued the rest of his morality in meditation and prayer.
Scientific commentary:
Well , the sixth incarnation of Bishnu was the full form of Man , i.e, Parashuram.
He took the help of Axe for his survival. He is not surviving on physical strength alone but by intellectually devised means of survival.
He learnt the use of fire. That is why in old religious literature he is called Agnihotri, i.e, who learnt to control the use of Fire (Agni)
He also learnt the use of Axe in producing food through methods of making House cutting threes.
Ancient Hindu Literature said , Parashuram killed ‘kartabijarjuna’ (known as Kshatria Tree) and made the Kshatria’s rootless twenty-one times and put his axe on the mother’s chest to justify his duty.
‘kartabijarjuna’ is a hard wood huge tree with thousands branches.
Parashuram discovered axe and using axe and cleaned the forest of ‘kartabijarjuna’ trees twenty-one times. He developed the technique of using axe to clean forest and to make land suitable for agriculture.
This is inner story of uprooting the Khatras for twenty-one times.
He also used his axe to cut the mother earth’s cheat to make hard land into amall dust so that he could use it for agriculture.
From his time his time human existence saw agriculture based human civilisation and Parashuram became invincible through use of new weapons that is His Axe.
Parashuram as the harbinger of agricultural revolution was respected as the Sixth incarnation of Lord Bishnu.
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LORD RAMA -
born in Treta Yuga, considered to be the ideal man. Took birth to free the world from cruelty and sins of the demon King Ravan. Well known for being heroic and honorable,even going into exile at his fathers request and giving up his right to rule his own kingdom.
Scientific commentary:
The seventh Incarnation of Bishnu was Sri Ram. He used Bow and Arrow and could attack from a distance. Sri Ram broke Parashuram’s Bow which symbolically suggests the death of Parashuram’s pride. The Bow Sri Ram broke was a gift of Lord Shiva signifies the potential ability towards evolution (which one Parashuram never used) .
Sri Ram’s Bow and arrow proved more effective than Axe in ensuring safety against ferocious animals and enemy. Ram’s bow and arrow proved superior to Parashuram’s Axe.
From the era of Sri Ram , the actual human civilisation on the basis of kingdom started.
He introduced the importance of public opinion in making the state laws.
Sri Ram not only introduced democracy but he also saved Ahalya (अहल्या). In Sanskrit dictionary.
(Reff :1. Wilson, H. H. (2008) [1832]. Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary. 2nd ed. )
(reff:2. Apte, Vaman S. (2004) [1970]. The Student's Sanskrit-English Dictionary .2 ed.. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.)
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अहल्या came from अ+हल्या (‘a’ - prefix indicating negation + Halya – plough used in agriculture) means the land where plough-head is not applicable or "unploughed" and rocky land.
Ahalya got liberation from the curse by getting the touch of Lord Rama’s foot which symbolically suggests using plough Sri Ram converted the rocky land to make agriculture in fallow land.
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The son of Rahugana (Gaotama Rishi) cursed the people for worshiping lord Indra. And the beautiful woman , Ahalya, which signifies the ploughed soil land , became rocky land.
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(Here , “circumambulating” , Rahugana , Saptarṣis this words are indicating there were some implicit astronomical causes for conversion of the Beautiful green land – signifies as a woman – into Rocky and dry)
But Lord Sri Ram shows how to overcome divine curse by human intelligence and effort. Sri Ram is called ‘Sitapati’ , that is Lord of Sita, In Sanskrit Sita means “Plough Head”, He introduced plough and plough head in the use of agriculture.
He used his knowledge for vast improvement in agriculture and it resulted in economic upliftment of common man.
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LORD SRI KRISHNA -
the first to be born in Dwarpara Yuga. He essentially created the foundation of yoga off of which Patajali's Yoga Sutras is based and the origin of the Bhagavad Gita. Known for being an essential figure in Mahabharata and the Battle of Kurukshetra and for battling and destroying countless demons and evil kings.
Scientific commentary:
A very important avatar, who had very clear representation of advanced human civilization. He was the perfect human being from all sides. He propagates the utility of knowledge in Science , Philosophy and Ethical values. He set the standards of good and evil.
Human can live in peace and with dignity. Struggle with ethics, for ethics should be one’s path of life. Intelligence, wisdom , sagacity , sapience and patience are the most fruitful weapons.
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BUDDHA -
born an Indian prince as Siddhartha.After becoming a monk and attaining enlightenment he became known as Gautama Buddha. Incarnate in this form he taught new forms of prayer through mindfulness and set a new standard for the life of a Yogi.
Scientific commentary:
who was the founder of Buddhism who was able to find out the ultimate truth for human suffering. He said non violence is a greatest virtue for human civilisation
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KALKI : The future One.
(An Article written By Jillian Renee Riley