Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.70.33
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
sarva-loka-īśvara-īśvaraḥ
—
the controller of all controllers of all worlds
A triple-layered compound — Bhagavān is īśvara of īśvaras of all lokas. And yet this triple-īśvara rises and bows. The grammar amplifies the humility into something cosmic.
-
vavanda
—
offered respects
Vand — to praise, to bow, to honour. Kṛṣṇa Himself uses it toward His devotee. The whole vandana-aṅga of bhakti (one of the nine limbs) is given a cosmic example: even the One who is bowed to bows.
-
śīrṣṇā
—
with His head
He bows with His own head — the supreme limb. In Vaiṣṇava liturgy, śīrṣa-praṇāma (touching the head to the ground) is the most complete obeisance. Kṛṣṇa offers it to Nārada.
-
utthitaḥ
—
having stood up
Standing for a guest is a Vedic householder discipline. Kṛṣṇa, who needs to stand for no one, stands. Every Vaiṣṇava-gṛhastha who rises for an arriving devotee re-enacts this moment.
This translation is based on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word mudā indicates that Lord Kṛṣṇa was delighted to see that Nārada had arrived.
Though he was the Lord of controllers of the planets like Brahmā, in joy he rose from his seat. He offered respects with his head since he always revealed qualities like respecting brāhmaṇas and having unlimited good reputation (bhagavān). Sasabhyaḥ refers to priests and others. His retinue consisted of persons like Uddhava.
Kṛṣṇa rising from His throne with His ministers to bow His head to Nārada is the sun standing up for one of its rays. He is sarva-loka-īśvara-īśvara — controller of every controller — and yet He rises. Bhakti's deepest grammar: the Lord honours His own devotee more than Himself.
Caitanya-caritāmṛta records that Mahāprabhu would not eat without Haridāsa Ṭhākura, would visit him daily, and at his samādhi danced and wept and personally placed him in the earth.
This verse is the cosmic original: Bhagavān honouring His devotee more than the devotee can honour Him. The Gauḍīya doctrine bhakta-vatsala (loving of His devotees) is built on moments exactly like this one.
My note
Source: vedabase.io