Acharya Prashant explains that being born in the human form is inherently associated with violence and killing, which is why saints sought liberation from the cycle of birth. Unlike animals, who act out of physical conditioning and lack the choice to be violent or non-violent, humans possess a choosing consciousness. This consciousness allows humans to choose between liberation and bondage. Non-violence is defined as making the right choice in favor of liberation, while violence is choosing in favor of bondage. He emphasizes that consciousness gains liberation by being sympathetic towards itself; a lack of self-love and self-respect leads people to tolerate suffering and remain in bondage. Acharya Prashant describes empathy as a radial force that spreads from the center of one's personality. The more one loves and respects their own consciousness, the wider their circle of empathy becomes, eventually encompassing other humans, animals, and insects. He argues that if someone can kill or consume conscious beings, it indicates a very small circle of empathy and a lack of self-love, which precludes the possibility of liberation. He notes that while some killing is unavoidable due to the physical nature of human existence—such as the death of bacteria or insects—the duty of a human is to minimize this violence as much as possible. He clarifies that absolute non-violence is impossible within the human form, but the goal is to reach the maximum level of consciousness allowed by that form. He dismisses absolutist arguments that equate eating plants with eating animals, stating that eating for basic survival is a physical compulsion, whereas eating meat is a choice of pure violence. He concludes that by slaughtering animals, one is essentially harming their own potential for liberation, as the consequences of such choices lead to a dark future for the individual's consciousness.