“Those who are the lowest of men refuse to take to Krishna consciousness because they think that they will be able to protect themselves without Krishna’s care. This is their mistake.”
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This is from the Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.2.32
[This chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is entitled “The Elephant Gajendra’s Crisis.” In this chapter, when the King of the elephants, along with his female elephants, was enjoying in the water, a crocodile suddenly attacked him, and the elephant surrendered to the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead for protection.]
TRANSLATION
The other elephants, who are my friends and relatives, could not rescue me from this danger. What then to speak of my wives? They cannot do anything. It is by the will of providence that I have been attacked by this crocodile, and therefore I shall seek shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always the shelter of everyone, even of great personalities.
PURPORT (excerpt):
We may invent so many ways to be happy or to counteract the dangers of this material world, but unless our attempts are sanctioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they will never make us happy. Those who try to be happy without taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are mudhas, rascals.
Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. Those who are the lowest of men refuse to take to Krishna consciousness because they think that they will be able to protect themselves without Krishna’s care. This is their mistake. The decision of the King of the elephants, Gajendra, was correct. In such a dangerous position, he sought shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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