Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s
Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala
Q. Why don’t souls remain in their true position, free from material designations?
A. Those souls who accept nothing other than service as their eternal occupation do not give up their transcendence to material designations, which is natural in their true position (svarupa). Their attraction to facing Krsna is everlasting. But those who consent to the notion of selfishly seeking the enjoyment of their own so-called happiness turn away from Krsna, and for this reason they are shackled within the prison-house of the material world made of maya.
Q. It would be very good if Krsna protected spirit souls from such unfortunate misconceptions; why doesn’t He do that?
A. In this regard, I would like to say that Lord Krsna gives His expanded spirit souls a quality of independence – a free will that allows them to chose between loving Him or pursuing selfish illusions. If a soul chooses to misuse this independence, then its svarupa or essential eternal form falls into a position of dull matter. In this stupefied condition, the soul cannot perceive the bliss of its own true spiritual independence, a boundless joy which is natural for a soul composed of eternal consciousness (cit).
The jiva is made of cit, and enjoying ananda is its only dharma.