Question: Must a person evolve in every incarnation?

Sri Chinmoy: Each incarnation is meant for progress. Either you can take one step or ten steps or ten million steps. Progress depends on how much aspiration one has. Each incarnation indicates that the soul is entering into the world arena to manifest something. The soul enters into the physical. It has made a fervent promise to God, but because of earthly pleasures and human ignorance, the soul finds it very difficult to make progress. In each life the soul comes to the physical with one sincere will: to go forward. So each incarnation is meant for that. The only thing is that some can cover only one step with greatest difficulty while others can take countless steps. Each incarnation is meant for gradual progress.