We get information from the sastra, every planet is full of life.
Don’t think like the so-called scientists that only this planet is full of living beings and other all vacant. No, that is not the fact. Every planet, it is congested with living entities. That information given there. That is… The whole bunch of universe is just like a tree. At night you have seen, it is rotating. On each and every planet there is life, full of life. Don’t think there is no life. There is life. Why not there life? If this planet contains so many living entities, why not in other planets? So from Vedic scripture we understand.

So we can go anywhere. There are three divisions: urdhva, madhya, and adhah—upper planetary system, middle planetary system, and lower planetary system. So urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. If you practice here how to remain in the modes of goodness… Goodness means brahminical qualification: satya samo damo titiksa arjava, to become truthful, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, satya sama titiksa, tolerant; satya samo damo titiksa arjava, simple, no duplicity; jnanam, full knowledge of everything; vijnanam, practical application; jnanam vijnanam astikyam… Astikyam means to accept Vedic literature as fact, not imagination. That is called astikyam, or theistic. Astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. This is called to live in the modes of goodness. So our Krsna consciousness movement is to bring every person to the platform of goodness, not even on the platform of passion, no, because urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha [Bg. 14.18]. At least, if you remain on the platform of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary system. Svarga, begins… Higher planetary system begins from the sun, moon, and there are others, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, like that, up to Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. So this is the chance. So now you make your selection. Either you go in the upper planetary system or remain where you are or go down in animal life also.

So this is the chance. We should not neglect. So if we misuse this human form of life like animals, then we are punishable. Then you have to go to the Yamaraja and he’ll judge what kind of body you’ll get. Karmana daiva-netrena. Just like if you are criminal, then you are put into the magistrate’s court and the magistrate decides what kind of punishment you must be given. So don’t think you are, we are, every one of us, independent. No. No independent. And after death you are completely under the grip of material nature. That time you cannot say, “I don’t care for anyone.” No, you have to care. You can falsely become proud so long this body is there. You can talk all nonsense. But when the body is finished, now you are completely under the control of nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani. Then your quality will be judged. Gunaih karmani. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Everyone is under the control of this prakrti, but rascals, ahankara-vimudhatma, too much bodily concept of life, bewildered, vimudha… Visesa mudha, first-class rascal, vimudha. Vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate. He says that “Whatever I like, I can do,” karta. No. That is not possible. So this life is preparation for the next life. You can prepare. It is in your hand. It is in your hand. God has given you the superior intelligence better than the animals. The animals are simply interested eating, sleeping, mating and fearing. So we have got better intelligence, so we must utilize it. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura sings, you know, those who are, the song, hari hari biphale, janama-goinu: “My Lord, I have simply wasted my life.” Why? Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visa- khainu. “I got this nice human form of body for understanding, worshiping Radha-Krsna. Now I did not do anything, that means knowingly I have taken poison.”

So if we misuse this human form of life only like animals, eating, sleeping, sex and fearing, then we are spoiling our life. We must prepare next life.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.20
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Honolulu, May 20, 1976