Verse 3.1.267

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.1.267:

ভক্ত বৈ আমার দ্বিতীয আর নাই ভক্ত মোর পিতা, মাতা, বন্ধু, পুত্র, ভাই ॥ ২৬৭ ॥

भक्त बै आमार द्वितीय आर नाइ भक्त मोर पिता, माता, बन्धु, पुत्र, भाइ ॥ २६७ ॥

bhakta bai āmāra dvitīya āra nāi bhakta mora pitā, mātā, bandhu, putra, bhāi || 267 ||

bhakta bai amara dvitiya ara nai bhakta mora pita, mata, bandhu, putra, bhai (267)

English translation:

(267) “There is no one more dear to Me than My devotees. They are My father, mother, friend, son, and brother.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.15) it is stated: sarve vedā yat padam āmananti—“All the Vedas glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (3.5.41) it is stated: mārganti yat te mukha- padma-nīḍaiś chandaḥ-suparṇair ṛṣayo vivikte—“The great clear-minded sages, carried by the wings of the Vedas, always search after the nest of Your lotuslike face.” In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.82.29) it is stated: yad-viśrutiḥśruti-nutedam alaṃ punāti pādāvanejana-payaś ca vacaś ca śāstram—“His fame, as broadcast by the Vedas, the water that has washed His feet, and the words He speaks in the form of the revealed scriptures—these thoroughly purify this universe.” Also in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (9.4.63-64) the Supreme Lord declares:

ahaṃ bhakta-parādhīno hy asvatantra iva dvija sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ

“I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me.

nāham ātmānam āśāse mad-bhaktaiḥ sādhubhir vinā śriyaṃ cātyantikīṃ brahman

yeṣāṃ gatir ahaṃ parā

“O best of the brāhmaṇas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences.” In the Nārada-pañcarātra (1.2.35-36) it is stated:

na hi bhaktāt paraś cātmā prāṇāś cāvayavā dayaḥna lakṣmī-rādhikā-vāṇī- svayambhū-śambhur eva ca

bhakta-prāṇo hi kṛṣṇasya kṛṣṇa-prāṇā hi vaiṣṇavāḥ dhyāyan te vaiṣṇavāḥ kṛṣṇaṃ kṛṣṇaś ca vaiṣṇavāṃs tathā

“There is no one more dear to the Supersoul, Kṛṣṇa, than His own devotees. Even His own Self, life, and body, Lakṣmī, Rādhikā, Sarasvatī, Brahmā, and Śambhu are not as dear to Him as His pure devotee. Kṛṣṇa is the life and soul of His devotees, and the Vaiṣṇavas are the life and soul of Kṛṣṇa. The Vaiṣṇavas always meditate on Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa always meditates on the Vaiṣṇavas.” In the Gopāla-tāpanī (Uttara 53) it is stated: yathāśrīyābhiyukto ‘haṃ tathā bhakto mama priyaḥ—“My devotee is as dear to Me as Lakṣmī.”