When the mind is polluted by fruitive activity, the living entity wants to be elevated from one material position to another. Generally everyone is involved in working hard day and night to improve his economic condition. Even when one understands the Vedic rituals, he becomes interested in promotion to heavenly planets, not knowing that ones real interest lies in returning home, back to Godhead. By acting on the platform of fruitive activity, one wanders throughout the universe in different species and forms. Unless he comes in contact with a devotee of the Lord, a guru, he does not become attached to the service of Lord Vasudeva. Knowledge of Vasudeva requires many births to understand. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.19): vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. After struggling for existence for many births one may take shelter at the lotus feet of Vasudeva, Krsna. When this happens. one actually becomes wise and surrenders unto Him. That is the only way to stop the repetition of birth and death. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 19.151) in the instructions given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Srila Rupa Gosvami at Dasasvamedha-ghata.