People are searching after knowledge—philosophers, scientists, politicians, and others, so many. Everyone is after knowledge. Brahma-jijñāsā. Jijñāsā: everyone is inquiring what is the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is possible in this human form of life, not in the cat's and dog's life. So those who are cats and dogs in the form of human being, they cannot inquire. They cannot inquire. Because they may be in the form of a human being, but actually they are no better than cats and dogs. Who are they? So, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām (Hitopadeśa). Then the eating, material necessities of life . . . eating. We want to eat something. We must eat, to keep this body fit. Then we must sleep also after eating. Not always. Not in this assembly. But after eating, you can sleep. (laughter) There is sleeping place, but not here. That is not good. So eating, sleeping. Then, after eating, after sleeping, everyone knows, the sex becomes agitated. Then mating. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, "How to protect myself?" Because the whole world is full of enemies. This is material world. So everyone is struggling hard, "How to protect myself?"
So these four principles are animal principles. So that is the difference, the such animal propensities are there amongst the cats and dogs, and in the human being also, these necessities are there. But if we remain captivated only by these four principles, then we remain cats and dogs. It doesn't matter, however nicely you are dressed, but we remain as cats and dogs, in the category of cats and dogs. The modern civilization is that He's actually a dog, a cat, but he dresses himself very nicely to become gentleman. So śāstra says no. We have to test whether He's human being or a cat and dog, what He's. So if we see that people are engaged only in these four business—eating, sleeping, mating and defending— He's cat and dog. Above them, they're inquiring. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They're inquiring about the Absolute Truth. They are above these cats and dogs. This is the test: what subject matter He's inquiring. Just like there are big, big scientists, they're making research, "If petrol can be substituted?" So in the eyes of the common man he may become a very great scientist, but those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness, they will take him no better than cat and dog—because his subject matter is how to eat, sleep or mate or defend. The subject matter . . . we have to understand what is the subject matter of this person. In the English proverb it is said: "A man is known by his company." So similarly, if the subject matter is animalistic, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna, then, however he may be big man, we will take him amongst the categories of cats and dogs.
Then who is, who is above? That above—who is inquiring about the Absolute. Jijñāsuḥ śreya-uttamam. He's human being, jijñāsu. He may not know in the beginning, but if He's inquisitive about knowing the Absolute Truth, He's human being. Just try to understand what is the distinction between a human being and cat and dog. So a human being means He's inquiring about the spirit soul or the spiritual world, the supreme spirit, God, Kṛṣṇa. He's human being. Otherwise cats and dogs. It is very easy to distinguish who is a cat and dog and who is a human being. There is no difficulty. What is the subject matter of his inquiry, and what He's after? What he wants in life? Everyone wants to eat very nicely in table, chairs and nice plate, nicely cooked food, and palatable. Never mind whatever nonsense it is, it must be palatable. So that is eating, eating problem. So in this way, if we analyze, it is not difficult to find out who is a human being and who is a cat and dog. That is . . . everything can be understood.
So when one is inquisitive, jijñāsu . . . and jijñāsu means, what kind of jijñāsu, inquisitive? Śreya uttamam. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). There are fields, different fields of activities. So when becomes inquisitive to know the ultimate necessity, ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, ultimate necessity, śreya uttamam. There are two things: śreya and preya. I have discussed all these thing many times. Preya means immediately very palatable. That is called srey er, preya. And śreya means ultimately good. Suppose if you take some palatable foodstuff, it may be very palatable to you . . . there are many example. Just like smoking. Smoking, everyone knows, the scientist the doctor, they declare, "This is the nonsense thing. It should be avoided." They advertise even in the packet also. But people still smoke. But that is called preya. That is called preya. Preya means immediately very nice. And śreya means when one gives it up, "No, it will keep my health nice," that is śreya. Try to understand what is śreya and preya. Another example: just like a child, he wants to play whole day. Even Kṛṣṇa was playing with His friends. Mother Yaśodā had to call Him thrice, four times, then He would come back. So that is the nature of children—they want to play whole day and night. But that is not preya, er, that is not śreya. The mother, the parents, take care, "My dear boy, come here, take your bath, change your dress, take your food. It is already late." So he does not know that these things are śreya. He wants to play. Just try to understand śreya and preya. Preya means according to one's position, there are different subject matter of sense gratification. That is called preya. And śreya means for future goodness, ultimate goal. That is called preya, er, śreya. Therefore a human being is he who is inquisitive about his ultimate goal of life, to know, "How . . . what is my ultimate goal of life?" That is human being. So jijñāsu.
So when a human becomes jijñāsu, inquisitive, śreya uttamam . . . Śreya means ultimate goal of life, and uttamam . . . uttamam. Tama means darkness. Tama means darkness. Not in the darkness, but uttamam. Udgata-tamaṁ yasmāt. When he transcends this darkness field of activities . . . tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in the darkness activity. Come to the light activity." So when one becomes inquisitive for the light activity, He's human being. He's called jñānī. The karmīs, they're in darkness. Their activity has no meaning. The other day we have discussed, vyartha-karmabhiḥ. Vyartha-karmabhiḥ (SB 1.16.9). Vyartha means futile, useless. The karmīs, that they're thinking very busy. If you go to see a karmī, he will say: "Oh, I have no time." "What you are doing, sir?" "No, I am very busy. I am earning money." So . . . but śāstra says: "You are simply wasting your time." Vyartha-karmabhiḥ. Vyartha-karmabhiḥ. The karmīs, they are working simply for useless result. How useless result? Because you have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That is a fact. You believe or not believe, you are changing your body every moment. So simply you have no eyes to see, you have no brain to understand. You may be . . . because you are cat and dog, you cannot understand. Because the cats and dogs, they cannot understand that there is another life after this dog's body and cat's body. They cannot understand. So anyone who cannot understand the simply . . . simple truth of the transmigration of the soul, He's no better than this cat and dog.