Q102. Are animals our brothers and sisters?

Yes. All living beings including the animals and plants have a soul, as they are created by the one God. Consciousness is a sign of the existence of the soul, and thus the animal and plant bodies also have souls, because they also have consciousness. They are our brothers and sisters, that’s why you should not eat your helpless brothers and sisters, the animals. The heart of every living being contains the individual soul, and the super soul, Lord Krishna. “I am the super soul, situated within the heart of all living beings. I am the origin, the middle, and the end of all living beings.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 10.20) You should not destroy the plant life in our gardens. You should plant more fruit, vegetable, and flower bearing plants in our gardens.