Understanding Krsna and Christ 125
ter of the development of consciousness. But the soul is there within all
living beings.

Cardinal Daniélou: But metaphysically, the life of man is sacred. Human
beings think on a higher platform than the animals do.

Srila Prabhupada: What is that higher platform? The animal eats to
maintain his body, and you also eat in order to maintain your body. The
cow eats grass in the field, and the human being eats meat from a huge
slaughterhouse full of modern machines. But just because you have big
machines and a ghastly scene, while the animal simply eats grass, this
does not mean that you are so advanced that only within your body is
there a soul and that there is not a soul within the body of the animal.
That is illogical. We can see that the basic characteristics are the same in
the animal and the human being.

Cardinal Daniélou: But only in human beings do we find a metaphysical
search for the meaning of life.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. So metaphysically search out why you believe
that there is no soul within the animal—that is metaphysics. If you are
thinking metaphysically, that’s all right. But if you are thinking like an
animal, then what is the use of your metaphysical study? Metaphysical
means ‘‘above the physical’’ or, in other words, ‘‘spiritual.’’ In the
Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, sarva-yonisu kaunteya: ‘‘In every living being
there is a spirit soul.’’ That is metaphysical understanding. Now either
you accept Krsna’s teachings as metaphysical, or you’ll have to take a :
third-class fool’s opinion as metaphysical. Which do you accept?
Cardinal Daniélou: But why does God create some animals who eat
other animals? There is a fault in the creation, it seems.

Srila Prabhupada: It is not a fault. God is very kind. If you want to eat
animals, then He’ll give you full facility. God will give you the body of a
tiger in your next life so that you can eat flesh very freely. ‘“‘Why are you
Maintaining slaughterhouses? I’ll give you fangs and claws. Now eat.’’ So
the meat-eaters are awaiting such punishment. The animal-eaters become
tigers, wolves, cats, and dogs in their next life—to get more facility.
