One of the longest of longtime commenters here, LB, reminded me the other day of the Sanskrit word mumukshutva. It means intense desire for liberation. In Advaita Vedanta it’s considered to be one of the four necessary conditions for attaining Self-realization.
For example, here’s Ganga Maa describing herself as a child in the introduction to Silent Presence edited by David Godman:
From a very young age my natural inclination was only towards the truth and God-realisation.
Whenever anyone asked me what my goal in life was, I always replied, ‘Atma sakshatkaram,’ Self-realisation. I would innocently and with total fervour call out within to all the Masters I knew, ‘I am ready! Are you all ready to give me sakshatkaram [realisation]?’
There was a great sense of urgency to get realisation. Intensely and with deep longing I used to shed tears every day for sakshatkaram. Even at that early age nothing else in life interested me. Academic studies became secondary. Instead, I used to sit and recite mantras from the Upanishads and try to understand their meaning. Or I would fill the pages of my school notebooks with two of the mahavakyas: ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ [‘That you are’] and ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ [‘I am Brahman’]. Then I would contemplate on them and try to go deeper into their true meaning.
Links
Hridaya Kshetram
Ganga Maa’s website.
Ganga Maa speaking in videos
It may be more beneficial to listen to her voice than think about her words.
Silent Presence Vol. 1
Ebook of Ganga Maa’s satsangs edited by David Godman. Sold at low cost on linked page.