Q94. Why is one soul in an animal body another in a human body?
There are 8.4 million species of living beings and depending on the desires and mentality developed by souls in human bodies, the variety of people, plants, and
animals are created. The individual soul is transmigrating from one body to another, and his present body and present activities are the background of his next body. “Just as the air carries a particular smell from one place to another, the living entity will be carried to a particular body at death, based on the consciousness developed by him during life. On taking a new body, the living entity will get a particular set of senses, like ears, eyes, tongue, smelling potency, sense of touch, and mentality. The foolish persons cannot understand how a living entity quits one body to take another. But those with knowledge can see this.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 15.8-10) “Whatever nature, one has at the time of death. That nature he will attain without a doubt." (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 8.6) If we live a life full of sin, then our consciousness at death will be polluted and the result is degradation to lower species. If we live a pious life and engage in devotional service unto Lord Krishna, then at death, our soul will be immediately transferred to the spiritual manifestation, Vaikuntha. Where everyone lives eternally in the same body that is completely beautiful, full of bliss/love, full of knowledge, with no old age, no disease, and without any misery.
Source: Kamlesh C. Patel, The Book of Life (EternalReligion.org, 2020) · Back to all 200 Q&A