Krishna consciousness means understanding that only Krishna enjoys all creation; we are merely recipients of His merciful provision.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.15 — August 3, 1971, London 710803SB-LONDON [57:12 Minutes] SB-06.01.15_710803SB-LONDON Prabhupāda: kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇaḥ aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskarā [SB 6.1.15] This is a discussion between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The question was that "Why people are suffering in different types of hellish condition of life, and how they can be delivered?" Parīkṣit Mahārāja heard from Śukadeva Gosvāmī that there [are] different kinds of hellish condition of life according to different types of sinful activities. So in this material world everyone is implicated, or involved, in some sort of sinful life. Just like in the prison house.
One may be a first-class prisoner, just like sometimes big politicians, they are put into first-class prison arrangement. A second-class prisoner, a third-class prisoner there are. But as soon as we understand this man is in the prison, or prisoner, it should be understood that he's criminal. He has committed some criminal activity; therefore he is in prison. Now, you can compare between the first-class prisoner or third-class prisoner, that is another thing.
But they're all prisoners. They're undergoing the duration of prison life. [break] Anyone who is in this material world—he may be Brahmā or a small, insignificant ant—it is to be understood that he's sinful. It doesn't matter whether he is Brahmā or an insignificant ant. Everyone has got a different type of body according to the desires of sinful activities. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6].
At the time of death the situation of mental situation, according to that mental situation he gets the next body. How? The example is: just like air passing over a nice rose garden. The air is carrying the flavor of the rose garden.
And if the air is passing through some filthy place, stool, urine, then it carries the smell of stool and urine. The air is pure, but according to the blowing of the air under certain situation, it is carrying the flavor, or smell, a bad smell or good smell. Similarly, we spirit souls, we are all parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, qualitatively we are one. If God is gold, then I am also gold.
How can I be otherwise? Because I am part and parcel. If God is iron, then I am also iron. That is my position.
But as I am carrying different airs by my association with this material nature, I am getting a different body. It is very simple to understand. We are getting different bodies, that's a fact. Even in our present life we have passed through so many different bodies: a baby's body, a child's body, a boy's body, young man's body. All those bodies are gone.