Beginning from Brahma down to the small insect, they are all in ignorance, all fools and rascals. That is the constitutional position. Nobody should be proud of his knowledge. Everyone is a rascal. Everyone. Here it is said, klisyamananam avidya-kama-karmabhih. So Brahma is desiring that “If I can get the opportunity, the post of Brahma, and I can create a big universe…” He was also thinking like that. And the small insects, it is also thinking like that — “If I can create a small hole within the room, then I can live very peacefully and eat.” The same propensity. As Brahma is thinking to create a universe, you are thinking to create a skyscraper building, the ant is thinking to create a hole within the room — the quality of the work is the same.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.35 — Mayapura, October 15, 1974