Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.21
భవన్తి పురుషా లోకే మద్భక్తాస్త్వామనువ్రతా: ।
భవాన్మే ఖలు భక్తానాం సర్వేషాం ప్రతిరూపధృక్ ॥ ౨౧ ॥
bhavanti puruṣā loke
[bhavanti purushaa loke]
mad-bhaktās tvām anuvratāḥ
[mad-bhaktaas tvaam anuvrataah]
bhavān me khalu bhaktānāṁ
[bhavaan me khalu bhaktaanaam]
sarveṣāṁ pratirūpa-dhṛk
[sarveshaam pratiroopa-dhrik]
Word-for-word
bhavanti
—
become
puruṣāḥ
—
persons
loke
—
in this world
mat-bhaktāḥ
—
My pure devotees
tvām
—
you
anuvratāḥ
—
following in your footsteps
bhavān
—
you
me
—
My
khalu
—
indeed
bhaktānām
—
of all devotees
sarveṣām
—
in different mellows
pratirūpa-dhṛk
—
tangible example.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bhavanti puruṣā loke
bhavanti
become
puruṣāḥ
persons
loke
in this world
mad-bhaktās tvām anuvratāḥ
mat-bhaktāḥ
My pure devotees
tvām
you
anuvratāḥ
following in your footsteps
bhavān me khalu bhaktānāṁ
bhavān
you
me
My
khalu
indeed
bhaktānām
of all devotees
sarveṣāṁ pratirūpa-dhṛk
sarveṣām
in different mellows
pratirūpa-dhṛk
tangible example.
Those who follow your example will naturally become My pure devotees. You are the best example of My devotee, and others should follow in your footsteps.
Purport
In this connection, Śrīla Madhvācārya quotes a verse from the Skanda Purāṇa:
ṛte tu tāttvikān devān nāradādīṁs tathaiva ca prahrādād uttamaḥ ko nu viṣṇu-bhaktau jagat-traye
There are many, many devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they have been enumerated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.20) as follows:
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam
Of the twelve authorized devotees — Lord Brahmā, Nārada, Lord Śiva, Kapila, Manu and so on — Prahlāda Mahārāja is understood to be the best example.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
King of the demons! Having given up all material desires because of love for me, the devotees do not commit violence to any living entity, whether high or low.
Those who follow your example will naturally become my devotees. You are the best example for all devotees.
“The greatness of those devotees is not astonishing to me. But I am not like that.” Those men who follow you become my devotees. How? Having given up all desires by prema for me (mad-bhāva), they come completely (sarvātmanā) non-violent. Why can your glory not be expressed? You are a model for all the devotees. You are an example, since you are the best.
Related lectures
My note
Source: vedabase.io