Visnu & Evolution

[Samar Abbas]

> Does the concept of Visnu's incarnations have anything to do with
> evolution ?

 Orthodox Aryan Vaishnavism holds that there an infinite number of
incarnations of Vishnu, with 10 main incarnations. When I use incarnation,
I will imply main incarnation below.

The standard view of evolution is :
 Fish -> Amphibians -> Reptiles -> Bipedal Mammals -> Quadrupedal Mammals
while the incarnations run :
 Fish        ->        Turtle   ->   Boar            -> Man-Lion    ....

A. The first incarnation of Vishnu is a FISH (Matsya), the second a
TURTLE (a Reptile). So  Fish -> Reptile here again. [ ! ]

B. The 2nd incarnation is a TURTLE, the
3rd incarnation of Vishnu is a Boar (Bipedal Mammal)
 So     Reptile -> Bipedal Mammal  [ !! ]

C. The 4th incarnation is Man-Lion, and the later ones are human.
 So  Bipedal Mammal -> Quadrupedal Mammal

D. Proto-Homonids are shorter and more hairy than Humans.
Man-Lion incarnation is the first `semi-human' incarnation, vaguley
resembling Cro-Magnons or Neandertals, while later ones are human. [ !!! ]

The transition from Reptile to Mammal is thought to have occurred in the
Tertiary. [ !! ]

Samar Abbas