Are we maintaining the body so that we can live like animals? No, we maintain the body simply because the body is a valuable boat to carry us across the ocean of material existence. We maintain the body in order to support our attempts to increase our faith in Krsna and to become more attached to Him through the process of hearing and chanting.
Lectures from a disciple, Vol 1, p. 333. Bhaktyaloka, Kishinev, 4.14.99