What did Gurudev Paramahansa Yogananda say about Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution?
—Sukhmandeep, India
Dear Friend,
Paramhansa Yogananda stated that although the human body may have evolved according to Darwin’s theory of evolution, the appearance of the human form, with our highly advanced and sensitive nervous system and brain, took place through an act of God.
He didn’t say how this was done. My personal interpretation of this goes like this: at a minimum, not knowing the “how” of what Yogananda taught, he was saying to us that the human form was not the mere product of blind forces of evolution, such as the impulse to survive or the desire to perpetuate the species. However obvious such impulses may be, Yogananda wanted us to understand that God’s intention behind His manifesting the creation is for the creation (in its eventual highly developed forms) would seek to answer the riddle of existence and find the Doer behind all appearances: that which unites all creation.
Ekam Sat! We have been created to discover the truth of transcendence that shall “make us free.” The that “all is Ram.” All is a play of God.
Now as to “how” God “intervened” in a special act of creation to infuse the lower forms with the intelligence and reason that could, in time, seek that which cannot be seen with eyes or known only by reason, Yogananda evidently failed to mention!
I think that was on purpose and is to be discovered in a higher age. Alien intermarriage is sometimes proposed though it simply postpones the question onto the aliens! Intervention by higher forces? Angels? Demi-gods?
Interestingly, Yogananda confirmed that in a higher age, more advanced humans could conceive a child in an asexual manner by concentrating at the point between the eyebrows. What to make of this? Well, apparently there is scientific evidence of such things among animals!
So, who knows the details? Such are to be revealed at such time as we are ready to receive it.
In summary, Yogananda did not dispute the provable evidence of biological evolution. But he clearly did not accept that it was the result of mechanical or subconscious forces.
I hope that offers to you some insight to this puzzle!
Blessings,
Nayaswami Hriman
Seattle WA USA
