Q. (Based on the following references) How to reconcile the “gradual evolution” and the “simultaneous creation” explanations? I’m aware of the soul moving upwards through different species of life. It seems that Srila Prabhupada also says how there is a sequence and time factor of evolution from lower developed bodies into more complex forms. And then again he says that all forms come up simultaneously at once.
Some excerpts from Srila Prabhupada’s writings:
“Creation is simultaneously. Brahma then created ants and birds and beasts and everything. It is all simultaneous.” (June 11, 74)
“The whole process of creation is an act of gradual evolution and development from one element to another, reaching up to the variegatedness of the earth as so many trees, plants, mountains, rivers, reptiles, birds, animals and varieties of human beings. The quality of sense perception is also evolutionary, namely generated from sound, then touch, and from touch to form. Taste and odor are also generated along with the gradual development of sky, air, fire, water and earth. They are all mutually the cause and effect of one another, but the original cause is the Lord Himself in plenary portion, as Maha Visnu lying in the causal water of the mahat-tattva.” (SB 2.5.25)
“Our history begins from the beginning of the creation because the creation takes place with the birth of Brahma from the abdomen lotus flower of Lord Vishnu. Then Brahma gradually creates. He begets so many sons known as Prajapatis who are supposed to be the generators of living entities, and therefore the history begins from Brahma. … This planet comes later on. We can take the idea from the tree – the tree grows gradually, and the different fruits, branches, and twigs gradually appear. Therefore it is to be understood that this planet has grown later on. Besides this we understand that although the planet was later on grown up, it was covered with water-pralaya payodhi jale, merged into the water after devastation. Then gradually it emerges from water. That we can experience, that gradually land is coming out of the oceans. Because of its being merged into water, it is natural to conclude that the beginning of life was aquatic. This is confirmed in Padma Purana that the species of life evolved from aquatics to plants, vegetables, trees; thereafter insects, reptiles, flies, birds, then beasts, and then human kind. This is the gradual process of evolution of species of life.
But we do not accept Darwin’s theory. According to Darwin’s theory, homo sapiens came later on, but we see that the most intelligent personality, Brahma, is born first. So according to Vedic knowledge, Darwin or similar mental speculators are rejected so far the fact is concerned. (letter to Hayagriva, 9 March, 1970)
“As stated in Brahma-vaivarta Purana, there is a gradual evolutionary process, but it is not the body that is evolving. All the bodily forms are already there. It is the spiritual entity, or spiritual spark within the body, that is being promoted by the laws of nature under the supervision of superior authority.” (SB 4.24.73)
Answer by Romapada Swami: As explained in the final quotation from Brahma-vaivarta purana, there is gradual evolution but the evolution is not of the body-types but an evolution of the consciousness of the soul from one type of body to another. The bodies of all 8.4 million species of life are already present from the beginning of creation, at least in their blueprint forms.
The Vedic understanding of creation of the universes and planets is not a linear one-time event, but a cyclic process. There are many creations and sub-creations, the original source of creation being Maha-vishnu and Lord Brahma being the secondary creator. When it is time for Lord Brahma to begin another creation of the universal planets, using the ingredients and following the blueprints provided by the Supreme Lord, Brahma creates the different planets and the prajapatis (progenitors) who in turn populate the universe with different species of life. Thus, even before the manifested creation, all these bodily forms of different species exist in the form of prototypes or blueprints. At the appropriate periods of creation and to accommodate the desires and consciousness of individual souls, different bodies are provided to different living entities at the appropriate time.
Furthermore, there are various sub-creations of the different planets within the universe. We learn from Bhagavad-gita of the periodic devastations of the earthly planets at the end of different manvantaras and at the end of Brahma’s day. At such times, it may appear that the species are newly evolving from one another but it is simply that the souls are given suitable bodies according to the time and situation in the process of creation. The unfolding of the parts of a tree, quoted above, is perfectly appropriate; while the body of the tree and it’s various parts and stages of development are gradually manifesting from the seed, it is actually the consciousness of the soul within that is evolving, merely reflected in the stages of the development of the body of the tree.
Srila Prabhupada further illustrates this idea with the example of changing apartments. According to one’s ability to afford a residential arrangement, one gets a certain type of apartment. When one is able to afford more, one may move to a bigger and better apartment; but all categories and varieties of apartments already exist – even if only as blueprints and to be constructed as required. It is not that the bigger apartments are newly conceived of ONLY at a later point in time; and certainly they do not automatically evolve in slow degrees from already existing apartments as suggested by modern evolutionary theories!
