Evolution of consciousness culminates only in devotion to Krishna, transcending all material grades and powers.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Yaśodānandana: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [break] bhūteṣu vīrudbhya uduttamā ye sarīsṛpās teṣu sabodha-niṣṭhāḥ tato manuṣyāḥ pramathās tato 'pi gandharva-siddhā vibudhānugā ye devāsurebhyo maghavat-pradhānā dakṣādayo brahma-sutās tu teṣāṁ bhavaḥ paraḥ so 'tha viriñca-vīryaḥ sa mat-paro ahaṁ dvija-deva-devaḥ [SB 5.5.21-22] [00:56] Pradyumna: Translation: "Of the two energies manifest, spirit and dull matter, beings possessing living force—that is vegetables, grass, trees and plants—are superior to dull matter, or stone, earth, etc. Superior to nonmoving plants and vegetables are worms and snakes, which can move. Superior to worms and snakes are animals that have developed intelligence. Superior to animals are human beings, and superior to human beings are ghosts, because they have no material bodies.
Superior to ghosts are the Gandharvas, and superior to them are the Siddhas. Superior to the Siddhas are the Kinnaras, and superior to them are the asuras. Superior to the asuras are the demigods, and of the demigods, Indra, the king of heaven, is supreme. Superior to Indra are the direct sons of Lord Brahmā, sons like King Dakṣa.
And supreme among Brahmā's sons is Lord Śiva. Since Lord Śiva is the son of Lord Brahmā, Brahmā is considered superior; but Brahmā is also subordinate to Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because I am inclined to the brāhmaṇas, the brāhmaṇas are best of all." [break] Prabhupāda: ...vīrudbhya? Hmm?
What is that? ...uduttamā ye sarīsṛpās teṣu sabodha-niṣṭhāḥ tato manuṣyāḥ pramathās tato 'pi gandharva-siddhā vibudhānugā ye devāsurebhyo maghavat-pradhānā dakṣādayo brahma-sutās tu teṣāṁ bhavaḥ paraḥ so 'tha viriñca-vīryaḥ sa mat-paro ahaṁ dvija-deva-devaḥ [SB 5.5.21-22] So Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva analyzing the different grades of living entities. Bhūteṣu, "anything which is generated." Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. Everything is generated from Kṛṣṇa, Para-brahman. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo [Bg 10.8].
From Kṛṣṇa everything is generated. But according to consciousness, they are divided into two energies: the superior energy and the inferior energy. The more the consciousness is developed, one comes to the platform of superior energy. So the dull stone, dull matter, they have no consciousness, but there is life. We learn from Brahma-saṁhitā that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is within the atom.
Atom is..., not that atom was not known, atomic energy was not known to the Vedic scholars. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣam [Bs 5.35]. Anor anīyāṁ mahato mahīyān. The Supreme Lord can enter even within the atom.
They are studying, modern scientists, the atomic energy, but still, they are perplexed. The smaller than proton, electron, and so many things, still, still, still... So there is life even within the atom. But scientists, because they are materialistic person, they cannot understand wherefrom the energy, the life energy, is emanating.