At every step there is danger in this material world.
This material world is described as padam padam yad vipadam, which means that at every step there is danger. A fool wrongly thinks that he is happy in this material world, but in fact he is not, for one who thinks that way is only illusioned. At every step, at every moment, there is danger. In modern civilization one thinks that if he has a nice home and a nice car his life is perfect. If we actually think that this material world is a very happy place, this is our ignorance. Real knowledge is that this material world is full of danger. We may struggle for existence as far as our intelligence allows and may try to take care of ourselves, but unless the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, ultimately saves us from danger, our attempts will be useless. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says:
balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha nartasya cagadam udanvati majjato nauh
taptasya tat-pratividhir ya ihanjasestas tavad vibho tanu-bhrtam tvad-upeksitanam
(Bhag. 7.9.19)
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.
Source: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (2014 edition), “Srimad Bhagavatam”, Eighth Canto, Chapter 2 – Text 32
