Acharya Prashant addresses the topic of religion and its relationship with animals by first dividing religions into two streams for the sake of conversation: the Abrahamic stream and the Indian stream. He explains that the Judeo-Christian view, and similarly the Islamic view, posits that God has dominion over man, and man has dominion over animals. In this perspective, animals, fish, and insects are created for the sake of man. In contrast, the Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, speak of non-violence (Ahimsa) and oneness (Ekatva). The speaker clarifies that he is not convinced that the discussion should be about the views of organized religions, as they become man-made the moment they are organized. Instead, he suggests focusing on the essence of religion itself, which he defines as man's relationship with himself and the world, including animals. Man perceives the universe through his senses and interprets it through his intellect, reason, knowledge, and memory. How man relates to the world depends on how he perceives himself. If a man feels incomplete, he will view the world as a resource to be exploited to fulfill himself. His view of a squirrel, for instance, will depend on his inner state: if he is hungry, he sees it as food; if playful, as sport; if afraid, as a danger. The way one looks at anything depends on how one looks at oneself. An incomplete man will always have an exploitative view of the world. He will value himself based on his ability to exploit, consume, plunder, and hoard. The more he can exploit, the bigger and more respectable he feels. This exploitative mindset is not limited to animals but extends to everything, including people, rivers, and the entire galaxy if it were in his power. The speaker argues that man's intellect is his greatest asset for exploitation. In contrast, animals, lacking this kind of intellect and rationalization, are closer to God due to their simple innocence and surrender to the flow of life. If the purpose of religion is to be one with God, who is unlimited, then one must drop all that is limited, including the intellect that prevents closeness with God. Therefore, the simple innocence of animals is closer to godliness than man's intellect.