SB 7.10.21

TEXT 21

TEXT

भवन्ति पुरुषा लोके मद्भक्तास्त्वामनुव्रताः ।
भवान्मे खलु भक्तानां सर्वेषां प्रतिरूपधृक् ॥ २१ ॥

bhavanti purusa loke

mad-bhaktas tvam anuvratah

bhavan me khalu bhaktanam

sarvesam pratirupa-dhrk

bhavanti-become; purusah-persons; loke-in this world; mat-bhaktah-My pure devotees; tvam-you; anuvratah-following in your footsteps; bhavan-you; me-My; khalu-indeed; bhaktanam-of all devotees; sarvesam-in different mellows; pratirupa-dhrk-tangible example.

TRANSLATION

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, Srila Madhvacarya quotes a verse from the Skanda Purana:

rte tu tattvikan devan
naradadims tathaiva ca
prahradad uttamah ko nu
visnu-bhaktau jagat-traye

There are many, many devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they have been enumerated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.20) as follows:

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam

Of the twelve authorized devotees-Lord Brahma, Narada, Lord Siva, Kapila, Manu and so on-Prahlada Maharaja is understood to be the best example.