Acharya Prashant explains that the definition of consciousness differs significantly between animals and human beings. For animals, consciousness is defined by their adherence to biological algorithms and physical nature; an animal is considered conscious if it follows its physical mandate, such as eating, breathing, and mating according to its instincts. However, human beings cannot be called conscious merely for performing these biological functions. For a human being, consciousness is defined by the exercise of free choice and the ability to exceed one's physical and material mandate. If a human being limits themselves to their biological nature, they are considered unconscious, even if they exhibit classical physical attributes of life. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that humans are special because their benchmark for consciousness is freedom; without a love for freedom, a human is not truly conscious. Furthermore, he clarifies that conscious choices cannot be regretted. Consciousness involves going beyond the mental and physical mandates, placing one's actions beyond the scope of reward, punishment, regret, or despair. Anything done in true consciousness transcends the duality of exaltation and regret.