The bodily conception of life is animal life. If I think that, "I am this body. I am Indian," and you think that you are this body, you are American or Englishman—in so many ways we are designated—so, so long we think in these terms of knowledge, that "I am this body. . ." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke. This is a bag of three elements: kapha, pitta, vayū. Or if we don't understand kapha, pitta, vāyu, we can understand that this body is made of flesh, bone, mucus. What you will find if we dissect this body? You'll find flesh, blood, bone, urine, stool, so many things, these material things. But if we think that, "I am this body, a composition of blood, flesh, bone and urine and stool," is that very good intelligence? No. Therefore śāstra says: "Anyone who is thinking this body, combination of these elements"—combined together it is called tri-dhātuke-sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13)—"such person is no better than the cows and the asses." Because I am not combination of this blood, bone, flesh and urine and stool. I am not this combination. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am spirit soul. This is really realization, knowledge.
So unless one comes to that platform, that "I am beyond this blood, flesh, bone, urine, stool . . ." Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parāḥ (BG 7.5). That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that, "These material elements—earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, ego—these are eight separated energy of the Supreme Lord." And the Lord says, apareyam: "These elements are inferior energy." Itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parāḥ: "Beyond this, you try to understand, there is another nature, prakṛti." What is that another nature? Jīva-bhūto mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5): "That is jīva-bhūtaḥ." So mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7): "These living entities," Kṛṣṇa said: "They are My part and parcel." So we are now covered with these material energies, although I am spiritual energy. This is our position. So this human form of life is a chance to understand that, "I am not this body, I am spiritual energy," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This chance is given to the human form of life, not to the cats and dogs.
So the same principle is explained throughout all the Vedic literature in different way just to understand one's identity, that he is not this matter; he is spirit soul. And when he understands, then the next stage will be, "Then what is my duty?" Because at the present moment we are acting on the bodily concept of life, how this body shall be kept in comfort, how the bodily relationship—wife, children, family, community, society, nation—they are all expanded bodily concept of life. So in any conception of this material world if we live, then you are living like cats and dogs. You are not living as human being. Otherwise where is the difference? When we see on the street two dogs are fighting, one dog is thinking, "This neighborhood is my jurisdiction, and why you have come from other jurisdiction in this neighborhood?" They are fighting, so the bodily concept of life. Or he is thinking, "This neighborhood belongs to me. Why you have come from other neighborhood here?" I say sometimes to my student, "This is immigration department. One dog is barking on other dog, 'Why you have come here?' " It is dog conception of life.
The spiritual conception of life is that everything belongs to God. That is the fact. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to God—the land, water, sky. It is said, bhūmir āpo analo vāyuḥ. This is expansion of the energy of God. So what is the use, claiming God's property as my property? That is mistaken. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape. This body is also God's property. Everything God's property, because Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). This microphone, what it is? It is made of some earthly metal, wood, but the material belongs to God. I may have taken advantage of taking this material and manufactured something; that does not mean it is mine. If a carpenter makes a good furniture, and the wood is supplied by somebody else and the carpenter is paid his wages, when the nice furniture is made, to whom it will belong? To the carpenter or to the person who has supplied the ingredients? It is very commonsense question.
So actually nothing belongs to us. We also do not belong independently. We are not independent. Kṛṣṇa says, jīva-bhūtaḥ, or mamaivāṁśo (BG 15.7). We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body, so the finger has no separate existence. If this finger is cut off from my hand and it has a separate existence, it will fall down on the street, and it has no value. Others are trampling down; still nobody cares for it, although it is the same finger but cut off from this body. But so long this small finger is attached to this body it has value. If there is some disease or pain, I can spend thousands of dollars for curing it. And when it is cut off from my body it has no value. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, when we are forgetful or cut off . . . it cannot be cut off, but still, when we forget God, then we have no value. The same example: When I ask my finger to come here and give me some itching sensation, then the finger is in normal condition. And if the finger cannot give me any service, that is useless. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, our business is to give service to God. That is our normal condition. And if we do not give service to the Lord—if we keep separately—then we have no value.