Since Siva is the son of Brahma, the latter is considered superior to him, but Brahma himself is subordinate to Me, the Supreme Lord.

However, since I Myself am favorable to learned sages, they are the greatest of all.

Animate beings are superior to inanimate objects, and among them, those in which signs of life are manifested are more evolved. As for animals endowed with developed consciousness, they are better than them, and above them are beings endowed with developed sense perception.

Among beings endowed with sense perception, those with developed taste are higher than those with developed only touch. But higher than them are those who can smell, and higher still are those who can hear.

Beings that can distinguish different shapes are higher than those who perceive sounds. Higher than them are those with toothy jaws, and higher still are those with many legs. But higher still are quadrupeds, and above all, humans.

Among humans, those whose social organization is based on individual qualities and activities prevail over others, and within such a society, intelligent men, referred to as “learned sages,” are the most evolved. But one must also distinguish as the best among the learned sages those who have studied the Vedas (the original holy scriptures, also called “the true gospel”), and among them, the one who knows the true purpose of the Vedas is the highest.

However, above the sage who knows the purpose of the Vedas is the one who can dispel all doubts, and even better than this is the one who strictly adheres to spiritual principles. But even higher than this shines the soul freed from all material defilement. As for the pure devotee, who performs devotional service without expecting anything in return, he dominates them all.

We see that there are many forms of life, but where did they come from?

The many different types of fish, trees and other plants, various insects, reptiles, dogs and cats—where did they all come from?

There is certainly an evolution of species, but all the various life forms exist simultaneously. The fish, the human being, the tiger, and all other beings appeared at the same time during creation, and were simultaneously injected by the Lord into the bodies they had in their previous existences. These life forms are comparable to various types of apartments in a city. We will inhabit one according to the rent we can pay, but the fact remains that all exist simultaneously.

Similarly, a being incarnated according to their karma can occupy one of these bodies, and all follow an evolutionary path.