What is the need of the hankering Spirit Soul ?

June 28, 2003

Srila Prabhupada's Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.8 purport

"The need of the spirit soul is that he wants to get out of the limited sphere of material bondage and fulfill his desire for complete freedom.

He wants to get out of the covered walls of the greater universe.

He wants to see the free light and the spirit.

That complete freedom is achieved when he meets the complete spirit, the Personality of Godhead.

There is a dormant affection for God within everyone; spiritual existence is manifested through the gross body and mind in the form of perverted affection for gross and subtle matter.

Therefore we have to engage ourselves in occupational engagements that will evoke our divine consciousness.

This is possible only by hearing and chanting the divine activities of the Supreme Lord, and any occupational activity which does not help one to achieve attachment for hearing and chanting the transcendental message of Godhead is said herein to be simply a waste of time.

This is because other occupational duties (whatever ism they may belong to) cannot give liberation to the soul.

Even the activities of the salvationists are considered to be useless because of their failure to pick up the fountainhead of all liberties.

The gross materialist can practically see that his material gain is limited only to time and space, either in this world or in the other.

Even if he goes up to the Svargaloka, he will find no permanent abode for his hankering soul. The hankering soul must be satisfied by the perfect scientific process of perfect devotional service."