Question: According to scripture Lord Räma came 2 million years ago. While He was on earth Hanumän and an army of monkeys helped him in his lila. My question is “Does this army of monkeys with human-like abilities confirm the theory of evolution that man came from monkey? If not, how can we explain where these monkeys come from and where they have gone, or what they have evolved to?”
Answer by Romapada Swami:
The assertion that you made was that Lord Rämacandra appeared two million years ago.
This understanding is not correct, according to Laghu-bhägavatämåta 1.3.78
“Splendid as a new blade of dürva grass, and accompanied by Sumiträ’s two sons and by Bharata, He appeared in the Tretä-yuga of the 24th catur-yuga as the son of Kauçalyä and Daçaratha.”
The question you raised has to do with the Darwinian evolutionary theory that man came from monkeys.
The answer to your question is NO.
According to Rämäyana, the Vänaras were offspring or aàças of the demigods, as was ordered by Lord Viñëu Himself, namely for the demigods to manifest themselves in these kinds of forms, which has nothing to do with evolutionary theory. Both monkeys and humans existed prior to Lord Räma’s lila. As aàças of the devas, they all returned to their respective positions when Lord Räma’s pastimes were concluded.
Here is a relevant passage from one translation of Ramayana:
Lord Brahmä ordered the demigods as follows: “Beget partial manifestations of yourselves to assist Lord Viñëu in His forthcoming incarnation. The children which you produce in the form of monkeys must be capable of assuming any form at will and must possess all other mystic powers. In addition, they must be very intelligent, highly skilled in the use of weapons, having prowess almost equal to Lord Viñëu, and possess ethereal bodies.”
Below is a similar relevant passage from Kåñëa Dharma Prabhu’s Rämäyana.
Viñëu summoned the gods and commanded them, “Soon my advent upon earth will occur. Assisted by all of you, I will crush the despicable Rävaëa. Foolishly, that evil one did not ask immunity from humans or animals, considering both to be entirely powerless in the face of his strength. As promised, I will descend as a human. O gods, without leaving your posts as universal controllers, you are capable of expanding yourselves onto earth. You should therefore appear in the world as powerful monkeys.”
Viñëu’s plan for the protection of the worlds was unfolding. The gods took birth as monkeys who had strength equal to their godly power. They could assume various forms at will, they were gallant, as swift as the wind, highly intelligent and practically invulnerable in battle.
The earth became populated with millions of huge monkeys who, in the way of the gods, grew up as soon as they were born. As haughty and strong as lions and tigers, they roared loudly and sprang about fearlessly. They were headed by Väli, the expansion of Indra, and by Sugréva, the expansion of Sürya. Fearful in appearance, they thronged the peaks of mountains and resided in great forests. When they came together they appeared like masses of clouds moving about on the surface of the globe.
