The word atma (individual spiritual soul) also has the meaning of effort. All practice requires effort, and the ultimate effort is aimed at attaining the highest devotional perfection. We must seek to achieve the sovereign goal, which is not found in any planetary system, superior or inferior. Let us understand here that suffering and material happiness naturally follow one another in all planetary systems, but that the highest perfection, devotional service, is nowhere to be found without effort. Also, anyone who earnestly strives for the highest devotional attainment can achieve everything through that effort alone. One cannot therefore reach the highest devotion without making a personal effort. As Krishna says so well in the Bhagavad-Gita, He who is in the heart of all beings:

Those who always serve Me and adore Me with love and devotion, I give them intelligence through which they will be able to come to Me.

Another meaning of the word dhriti is the awareness of one's own elevation, by virtue of which one feels free from all suffering and has reached the highest level of existence. Thus all fully Krishna conscious devotees are detached from all forms of material pleasure. Entirely absorbed in the transcendent service of the Lord, they are always joyful by the very fact of their devotional practice. They are indeed humans as happy as they are accomplished, and such is their happiness that they do not even aspire to be promoted to the spiritual planets, for they are delighted in all spheres of existence. Filled with the spiritual service of the Lord, they covet neither material goods nor sensual pleasures. According to the Gosvamis: People whose senses are anchored in the service of the Supreme Lord can be described as serene.

The word atmarama therefore indicates that even birds, animals and fools, in short, all beings become fascinated by the sublime attributes of Krishna, therefore commit themselves to serve him and thus end up achieving liberation.

Another meaning of atma would be intelligence. People endowed with exceptional intelligence also bear the name of atmarama (spiritualist), and are of two types: the wise scholar and the uneducated devoid of book knowledge. Both may have the opportunity to rub shoulders with a pure devotee, and even the uneducated atmarama may then abandon everything to engage in pure devotional service, in full Krishna consciousness. The Lord embodies the origin of everything and everything emanates from Him. Now, any truly intelligent person can understand that Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is the source of everything, and therefore engages in his service.

We also read in another verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam: What about beings intelligent enough to study the Vedas [the original holy scriptures], even those who do not have so much intelligence, whether they are simple workers, women, outcasts, birds or animals in general, can, all as long as they are, attain the highest perfection. The Lord further states that when a person becomes intelligent enough to engage in Krishna consciousness, the Supreme Lord in return gives him the intelligence required to attain his divine abode.