154
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 14]
said that everyone is a thief and is liable to be punished. Punishment by the laws of nature takes place in the cycle of birth and death. No one dies fully satisfied by the fulfillment of material desires, for that is not possible. Therefore at the time of one's death one is very sorry, being unable to fulfill his desires. By the laws of nature one is then offered another body to fulfill his unsatisfied desires, and upon taking birth again, accepting another material body, one voluntarily accepts the threefold miseries of life.
TEXT 9
मृगोष्ट्रवरमकर्तुसरीसृप्वगमाक्षिकाः । 
    आत्मनः पुत्रवत् पश्येतैरेषामन्तरं कियत् ॥ ९ ॥
mṛgoṣṭra-khara-markākhu- 
    sarīsṛp khaga-makṣikāḥ 
    ātmanaḥ putravat paśyet 
    tair eṣām antaram kiyat
mṛga—deer; uṣṭra—camels; khara—asses; marka—monkeys; 
    ākhu—mice; sarīsṛp—snakes; khaga—birds; makṣikāḥ—flies; 
    ātmanaḥ—of one's self; putra-vat—like the sons; paśyet—one should 
    see; taiḥ—with those sons; eṣām—of these animals; antaram—dif- 
    ference; kiyat—how little.
TRANSLATION
One should treat animals such as deer, camels, asses, monkeys, mice, snakes, birds and flies exactly like one's own son. How little difference there actually is between children and these innocent animals.
PURPORT
One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness understands that there is no difference between the animals and the innocent children in one's home. Even in ordinary life, it is our practical experience that a household dog or cat is regarded on the same level as one's children, without any envy. Like children, the unintelligent animals are also sons of the Supreme