How are Humans different from Animals???

I am a staunch follower of Karma Siddhantha (Doctrine of Karma). Many have questioned if Karma is applicable only to humans or also to animals. I wish to share what I understand on this.

This universe which I believe is emanated from Primordial Atom which Sanatana Dharma calls Hiranyagarbha. The emanation caused the existence of living as well as non-living.    

Now we have those which just exist like mountains, rock, sand and soil. Then we have plant life which exist and also can breathe. Then we have animals which exist, breathe and feel. Finally we have humans who exist, breathe, feel and think. Now let us understand that we humans can think contemplate and reason better because of Intellect which is the faculty of discrimination. (Note: discrimination of deeds we do as good and bad)

Animals are classified as Bhogayoni (Cannot perform deeds but have material body to experience) and humans are Karmayoni (Can perform deeds and also have material body to experience). Amazingly both have got this birth because of their Karma. Animals are satisfied with SEED (Sleep, Eat, Enjoy, and Defend) they only can only relish they cannot produce. They can eat they cannot grow. Humans are not so they relish and also they produce. This creation called humans use animals to produce (farming) Hence he can relish as well as produce. Humans have created devices to fly in air and surf on water. He does not have sharp eyes like that of an eagle but he has a telescope in the hand. If we contemplate on this we can understand the intricacies of Karma. Humans not only enjoy the reward of their past karma phalas but also can perform action for future also. Hence he is Karma yoni.

So a Jeevi (Individual Soul) chooses to be born in either of the yoni by their own Karma. Jeevi keep on moving from one yoni or the other but it is only the Karma done in human life which is linked to Punya (Merit) or Paapa (Sin) depending on the deeds performed. As already mentioned humans alone have the ability to discriminate and so can perform deeds which bring him merits and if he misuses this faculty he commits a sin. This makes him to take birth in Bhogayoni. This merit or sinful deeds performed leaves an imprint on the Subtle Body (Body-Mind Index). This is called Samskara (impressions), if the Samskara of noble deeds outweighs the Samskara of sinful deeds one gets a human birth. Here one has to understand that it is an opportunity to seek liberation, so if the Samskara of selfless life become super strong then one gets liberation i.e. Moksha.

Another question is: If yoni janma is according to Karma, how did the first janma happen? This question seems to be logical but the misconception here is that “I” will be born as Sreeram Manoj Kumar again. The movies and non-fiction novels have made us think that the person is going to be born as the same in the next birth, worst is that in some movies both the characters are donned by the same hero. This is causing confusion among us. The subtle body remains and needs a body to experience the unfulfilled ambitions and untold desires. It can be in the form or an animal or a bird or a reptile or a man or a woman. There is nothing like a file kept on Sreeram Manoj Kumar since eons. This is not the first time that Sreeram Manoj Kumar (which “I” am identified now as) has got a birth but has obtained body countless times before and may still happening. The Jeevi in me has many Samskara (impressions).  One may ask what the Samskara were obtaining at the time of beginning of Kalpa (Creation). At the beginning of creation Samskars pertaining to previous Kalpa (Creation) was already there. This creation is flowing like a river which has no beginning or end. Creation and dissolution of the world keeps on occurring like day and night. It keeps on rotating like a wheel……Am I Right???