Category:Animal Like
Theme Analysis
The phrase "like an animal" is a recurring motif in Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings, used to describe human beings who fail to utilize their higher consciousness. According to the Vedic perspective, biological birth in a human body does not guarantee humanity; everyone is born in ignorance, sharing the same basic bodily demands as the animal kingdom: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. This analysis explores the distinction between human and animal life, emphasizing that a civilization focused solely on economic development and sense gratification is merely a polished animal society. The tragedy of modern life is that despite possessing the intelligence to inquire into the Absolute Truth, people waste this opportunity. Ultimately, acting like an animal ensures that one will be forced to take birth in the animal species again, whereas adopting spiritual life—specifically Kṛṣṇa consciousness—elevates one from this degraded status to true perfection.
- The Four Animal Propensities: Eating, sleeping, mating, and defending are common to both humans and animals; a human who only engages in these activities without spiritual inquiry is indistinguishable from an animal.
- The Polished Animal Civilization: Modern society's intense focus on industry, hard labor, and economic development for the sake of sense enjoyment is described as a dangerous, animalistic civilization that lacks education on the soul's journey after death.
- The Consequence of Karma: The laws of nature are strict; if a human being misuses their developed consciousness and lives like an animal, they will be degraded and forced to take birth in an animal body in the next life.
- The True Human Mission: The human form is a rare opportunity meant specifically for self-realization and liberation (apavarga). Forgetting this mission and spoiling one's life is considered the greatest misfortune.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Eating, Sleeping, Mating, Defending – The Animal-Like Life.
Subcategories
This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total.
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Pages in category "Animal Like"
The following 121 pages are in this category, out of 121 total.
A
- A human being who does not use his developed consciousness but instead acts like an animal surely undergoes punishment in many different hells
- A living being gets the opportunity to understand all the secrets of nature's path, but he's denied the opportunity. Very dangerous. He's thinking like animal
- A sisya, a disciple, comes to the guru for enlightenment. Everyone is born foolish. Everyone. Even the human being, because they are coming from the animal kingdom by evolution, so the birth is the same, ignorance, like animal
- According to Sridhara Svami, Arjuna was obliged to catch this son of a brahmana like an animal as a part of his duty (dharma). This suggestion by Sridhara Svami is also confirmed in the later statement of Sri Krsna
- Actually, they are rascals. They do not know the value of life and the real problem of life. Simply like animals they are eating, sleeping, having sex life and dying. That's all
- All of this (enjoyment of the five sense objects) is also very pleasing to the animals; therefore in human society there are restrictions in the enjoyment of the five sense objects. If one does not follow, he becomes exactly like an animal
- Although demons have created many plans for industry and hard labor so that people will work day and night like animals, this is not the purpose of civilization. Such endeavors are jagato'hitah; that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people
- And out of the four millions, eight million, four..., 400,000 human species, so mostly they are like animals. So unless one comes to the Vedic civilization, he's not human being
- Animal is engaged like that, eating, sleeping, sex, and defense. So we are being educated only like animals. We do not know the value of life, how nature is working, how we are changing our body. No education all over the world
- Arjuna, his eyes blazing in anger like two red balls of copper, dexterously arrested the son of Gautami and bound him with ropes like an animal
- As Kali-yuga advances, human beings will be just like animals. At that time, in order to reform human society, Lord Krsna will come in the form of the Kalki avatara
- As long as one is forgetful of his life's mission and acts like an ordinary animal - eating, sleeping, mating and defending - he must continue his conditioned life of material existence
- As you are elevated to the human form of life, if you do not utilize this human form of life, if we behave like animals, then we shall be converted again into animals
- At the present moment, human beings have become exactly like animals. They do not know the meaning of apavarga, liberation. Yet there was a time when people understood that human life was meant for apavarga
- At the present moment, there is no such family life, no consideration of religion, no consideration of irreligious life. Everything just like animals. Kalau sudra-sambhavah
B
- Because he is more like an animal, a materialist suffers more. The devotee, on the other hand, takes Krsna's advice in Bhagavad-gita - 2.14
- Because they have no knowledge, they are simply like animals. They pray, "O God, give us our daily bread." But now suppose we ask them, "What is God?" Can they explain? No. Then whom are they asking? Are they merely praying into the air
- Because this human form of life is especially meant for self-realization, by neglecting this important part of his activities one simply wastes his time like the animals. So he is pasu-ghna
- Bhakta, they know where is real water. That's all. This is the difference. The karmis are like animals. They are after shadow water, running, running, running, exhausted and finished. That is karmi
E
- Even against that poor foolish King's desire, he remained under the control of his wife, just like a pet animal that dances according to the order of its master
- Even though he has a human body, a person in the mode of ignorance and interested only in his present body is like an animal, for an animal, being covered by ignorance, thinks that the ultimate goal of life and happiness is to eat as much as possible
- Every man or animal must die at a certain stage of life, but one who dies like Bhismadeva attains perfection, and one who dies forced by the laws of nature dies like an animal. That is the difference between a man and an animal
- Everyone is born foolish. Everyone. Even the human beings, because they are coming from the animal kingdom by evolution, so the birth is the same, ignorance, like animals. Therefore, even though one is human being, he requires education
- Everyone is born sudra. Just like this child. This child is dependent completely. Just like animal is dependent, the child is also dependent. So they say, Vedic learned scholars, they say janmana jayate sudrah - Prema-vivarta
- Everyone is trying to make economic development by exploiting the world. Digging the earth, the mines. This is lowest stage, just like animal civilization
G
- Generally, due to material opulence a man becomes exactly like an animal. To give an animal peaceful instructions is useless, and the only means is argumentum ad baculum. In other words, the only means to keep animals in order is a stick
- Generally, people are just like animals. Out of many such persons, one becomes interested in the scriptures. And out of many such persons, if they're attracted to the scriptures, they're attracted to the ritualistic ceremony
- Generally, the people are just like animals. They simply do not know anything beyond the necessities of the body: how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate and how to defend
H
- How can I (the Girl) expect to unite with others, who are neither conversant about sex nor capable of knowing how to enjoy life while living or after death? Such foolish persons are like animals because they do not know the process of sense enjoyment
- How can those who are like animals in the bodily concept of life, and who have no purity of consciousness, practice yoga
- Human being, full consciousness. Now, this is the chance for understanding God. And if they are still kept in darkness like the animals, that's a dangerous civilization-refusing the opportunity to the humanity
- Human life is not like animals. They must know that, - We are in threefold miserable condition of life, adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And we do not want these all miserable condition
- Human life should be very sober, peaceful, full of knowledge, full of bliss, peaceful, devotee. These are the good signs of purity. Simply working hard like animal and eating like animal and... No
I
- If by our karma, or activities, we are fit to take birth in a good family in human or demigod society, we shall do so, but if our activities are low like those of animals, we shall have to take birth in a family of animals. That is the force of karma
- If he is in the association of passion, he is materially busy. And if he associates with the quality of ignorance, he becomes animals or animals-like man
- If my activities are lower grade like animals, then I will have to take birth in the animal family
- If one obtains a human body in the land of Bharata-varsa, with clear sensory organs with which to execute the sankirtana-yajna, but in spite of this opportunity he does not take to devotional service, he is certainly like liberated forest animals & birds
- If the animal has no soul, then the child has also no soul, because the child behaves like an animal
- If they (the devotees or the demigods) want to eat like ordinary animals, who have no God consciousness, then they must live in starvation, poverty and want, like the jungle animals in the forest
- If you want to enjoy life, then you must be intelligent also. Just like the animals, they are not intelligent enough; therefore they cannot enjoy life as a human being can, standard
- In animal life, eating, sleeping, sexual enjoyment and fear cannot be regulated, but for human society the plan is that although men, like animals, must be allowed to eat, sleep, enjoy sex and take protection from fear, they must be regulated
- In the mode of ignorance, people are just like animals & cannot see things clearly. In the mode of ignorance, for example, they do not see that by killing one animal they are taking a chance of being killed by the same animal in the next life. BG 1972 p
- In the Vedas it is said that persons who are attached to demigods to the exclusion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are like the animals who follow the herdsman even though they are taken to the slaughterhouse
- In this age people are degrading so much that at the end of the day, if he can have a full belly meal, he says: "Oh, I am now satisfied." Just like animal
- In this age, people take pleasure in committing all kinds of sins. They have no brains to see that this body is temporary and full of suffering. They are completely in the mode of darkness, just like the animals they slaughter
- Irreligious persons are like animals, but in this Krsna consciousness movement such persons can come to a sense of understanding things as they are and abandon the four principles of prohibited activities
- It appeared that he (the demon) was going to burn all outer space to ashes. The surface of the earth trembled because of his striking steps. When he entered the city of Dvaraka, all the residents panicked, just like animals in a forest fire
- It is gradual evolution, from mode of ignorance to mode of passion. And passion, there is little activity. Just like animal, they have got activity
K
- Kali-yuga is considered to be the most fallen age. We are thinking that we are making very much advance, but it is the most fallen age, because people are becoming like animals
- Kṛṣṇa, when (He) says "Stop work," means stop working like animals, but not to stop working like Kṛṣṇa conscious people are doing—not to stop chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Stop your animalistic life and begin your spiritual life
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- Like an animal, he has no proprietorship even over his own body. A cruel proprietor of an animal sometimes kills the animal in his possession, yet the animal does not protest. Nor does it have any real independence. BG 1972 purports
- Low class means the more they are addicted to meat-eating. Just like animals. They may be very strong. A tiger is also strong, but what is the use of it? Nobody cares for the tiger
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- Men do not understand that because they unrestrictedly kill so many animals, they also must be slaughtered like animals in big wars
- Modern civilization is in dire need of an educational system to give people instructions on what happens after death. In actuality the present educational system is most defective because unless one knows what happens after death, one dies like an animal
- Mucukunda continued, "By the influence of Your external energy, they are attached to the glare of material activities, to so-called society, friendship and love, like dumb animals that have fallen into a dark well"
N
- No one could conceive of human beings’ eating meat like tigers and dogs, but men have become so degraded that they are just like animals and can no longer claim to have a human civilization
- Not that one mistake has been done, you should continue. Rectify it. The difficulty is the modern society, the leaders, they do not know the aim of life. They are blindly doing everything like animals
O
- One should not accept the body as the self and thus, like the animals, kill the bodies of others. This is especially forbidden by saintly persons, who follow the path of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- One who acts in the mode of goodness is religious and happy, one who acts in passion achieves mixed misery and happiness, and one who acts under the influence of ignorance is always unhappy and lives like an animal
- One who does not care for transcendental necessities of life and simply engages like an animal in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating has spoiled his life
- One who is in the bodily conception of life is compared in the sastras to animals like cows and asses. Diti wanted to punish Indra, who had become like a lower animal
- One who understands before death that the body is simply a lump of matter is called a wise man. He sees the soul through the eyes of knowledge. Those who are on the gross platform, who are like animals, can see neither the soul nor Bhagavan
- Our gurukula should be ideal. Not all these boys . . . you should take care of these things from the very beginning - if we want actually spiritual life. If we want to progress like animals, that is different thing, as the whole world is doing
- Our mission is to save human being from being spoiled like animals. That is our mission. The greatest humanitarian work
- Our only request is that you have got this human form of body - don't misuse it. Don't waste it like animals simply by eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. You have got another business
- Our point is that you may live materially comfortably - there is no harm - but if you forget your spiritual identity, then you'll remain like animal
P
- People have become so dull that they do not understand the meaning of liberation. They have become just like animals. If an animal is informed that there is such a thing as liberation, how will he understand it? It is not possible
- People have no conception of God, and therefore there is no understanding of religion. As a result, the whole human civilization is declining. And because it is declining, human beings are becoming more and more like animals
- People simply work like animals, not knowing how to make a success of human life. One's human life is successful when one understands Krsna; otherwise one remains an animal
- Persons who are almost like animals have no faith in, or knowledge of, the standard revealed scriptures; and some, even though they have knowledge of, or can cite passages from, the revealed scriptures, have actually no faith in these words. BG 1972 pur
S
- Simply by eating. Because you are so dull, you cannot understand the philosophy. You know the belly like the animals. So therefore we are giving facility, "All right, fill up your belly, fill up your belly. And you'll be infected"
- Since human life is not meant for our enjoying sense gratification like the animals, the four orders of human life are so arranged that one may become perfect in spiritual life. BG 1972 purports
- Since the soul is actually a spiritual particle, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, it is due to illusion (vivarta-vada) that a human being, like an animal, identifies the body with the self. This is a proper example of vivarta, or illusion
- Small children are just like animals and they have to be trained how to obey, otherwise they will be simply spoiled
- So intelligent men and women should take interest in this great movement. It is a very scientific spiritual movement. People are suffering for lack of spiritual knowledge. They have become materially like animals. Materialism means animalism
- So your name is Jagarini. Jagarini - who is always awake; never sleeps. Just see. This life is for jagarana. Uttisthata jagrata. Everyone is sleeping, dull, like animal. The animals are sleeping
- Such persons treat all living entities equally. They never become overwhelmed by anger like animals, who can see nothing without differentiation
- Suta Gosvami said: Draupadi then saw Asvatthama, who was bound with ropes like an animal & silent for having enacted the most inglorious murder. Due to her female nature, & due to her being naturally good & well-behaved, she showed him due respects
T
- That (one creating a temple in private, offering something to the Lord and then eating) is better than simply cooking foodstuffs and eating without understanding one's relationship with the Supreme Lord; people who act in this manner are just like animals
- The butcher is killing animal because he does not know what is the effect of this killing. Similarly, persons who do not know what is the value of this human form of life and simply spoiling it just like animals, they are also butchering themselves
- The conditioned souls, who are entrapped by the material energy, hardly know all these principles of life. Most of them are like animals engaged in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating
- The human being has to fulfill such desires (eating, sleeping, fearing and mating) not like animals, but like a human being
- The human form of life is meant for understanding the Supreme, the Absolute Truth (athato brahma jijnasa). But if we do not endeavor for this, if we misuse this opportunity and simply remain like animals, we shall return to an animal form of life
- The innocent, unenlightened citizen is like an ignorant animal sleeping in peace with its head on the lap of its master, faithfully believing in the master's protection
- The materialists, like animals, also do not know how they are being misdirected by neglecting the transcendental thought of the Supreme person
- The people of this age, they are so fallen, they have no prescribed duty. They are simply engaged like animals - eating, sleeping, sex and defense. That's all. Animal is engaged like that, eating, sleeping, sex, and defense
- The present society is just like animals. They have no faith, what to speak of this faith or that faith. That is the position. They are simply after sense enjoyment
- The significant point in this sloka is that Asvatthama was caught and bound up with ropes like an animal
- The whole Western civilization, they do not know what is the aim of life. Naturally the aim of life becomes like animals - eat, drink, have sex and defend. That's all. That is the Western civilization
- The word "destiny" is now defined. Unintelligent persons who do not understand the meaning of life are just like animals. Animals do not know the past, present and future of life, nor are they able to understand it. But a human being can understand this
- There are existence man-eaters in Africa. So the human society is coming to that position. Like animal, they will eat their own sons and daughters. So therefore this practice, unnecessarily killing animal, is the one of the pillar of sinful life
- There are existing man-eaters in Africa. So the human society is coming to that position. Like animal, they will eat their own sons and daughters. So therefore this practice, unnecessarily killing animal, is one of the pillar of sinful life
- There are two classes of men absorbed in the material concept of life. Out of ignorance, a man in the first class thinks his body to be his self, and therefore he is certainly like an animal
- They (legitimate and illegitimate human) may be civilized or uncivilized, they may be learned or illiterate, they may be powerful or weak, but such illegitimate persons, generally known as outlaws, always act like the lower animals
- They do not know the laws of nature; they do not know what is living entity, what is soul, what is God, how things are going on, how nature's law is working. Nothing of the sort. Simply like animals - eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, that's all
- They do not know what is life. They take it very easily, this life, just like animals. "If I can eat nicely, if I can sleep nicely, if I can have sex life nicely, and if I can defend my country or my home nicely, then my business is finished"
- They have no brain that this material body is klesada, is simply miserable. That they understood. So dull brain. That is tamo-guna. Tamo-guna means completely darkness. Just like animals
- They may be civilized or uncivilized, they may be learned or illiterate, they may be powerful or weak, but illegitimate persons, generally known as outlaws, always act like the lower animals. There is no good in them, in spite of all appearances
- This chance (to understand his constitutional position) is given to him by nature, but if he nonetheless acts like an animal, what is the benefit of his human life? In this life one must select the goal of life and act accordingly
- This is a wrong type of civilization, a civilization of ignorance. Animal civilization. Just like animals: a cat, a dog, the cow, he does not know what is the working principle in the body
- This material world is like a great forest, and its inhabitants are like forest animals such as deer and tigers meant to be killed
- Those who are fools, who are like animals, sometimes think that Krsna is defeated, but factually He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one can defeat Him
- Those who are less intelligent, like animal, they seek happiness here in this material world, just like the animal running after water in the desert. Maya-maricika
- Those who are unintelligent, who are like animals, seek happiness in the desert of the material world. This false attachment has to be given up by the process of bhakti-yoga. This must be taken up very seriously, not artificially
- Those who have no knowledge of the spiritual world or the spiritual self, simply bodily concept of life like animal, they are grha-medhi
- To understand Krsna is not so easy job. First of all, so many millions and millions of living entities are there. They are not interested. They are just like animals: "Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." Nobody's interested what is the success of life
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- We are trying to raise the animal-like humans to real human status
- We claim to be superior, to possess superior consciousness, and how we are utilizing our consciousness and superior intelligence? Simply just like animals. That requires meditation
- We have to approach to the proper person and inquire and hear. Sravanam kirtanam. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya (BG 4.34). Not to hear like animal, but pariprasnena sevaya. Then our knowledge will be developed
- We request everyone to abandon sinful activity and chant the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way people can save themselves from repeated birth and death and from being killed like the animals in slaughterhouse
- When a person goes to the spiritual master, that is his second birth because he is born foolish. Take birth by the combination of father, mother - that is material birth - that is a birth of ignorance, just like animals
- When a person is born even in human society, he remains a sudra. Sudra means almost like animal. Now he has to be reformed. That is called samskara. Then twice-born
- When man comes to the understanding that, "I am not this body; I am soul," then knowledge begins. Before that, he is ignorant like animal. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke - SB 10.84.13
- When one is ignorant, he is like animal. When he is further advanced, he is a philosopher. And when he is further advanced, he is a devotee. These are the three different stages: like animal, like philosopher and like devotee
- When the Yavanas were taking King Puranjana away to their place, binding him like an animal, the King's followers became greatly aggrieved. While they lamented, they were forced to go along with him