572
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
TRANSLATION
The source of all incarnations has the emotions of a superior when He considers Himself the master, and He has the emotions of an inferior when He considers Himself a devotee.
PURPORT
A fraction of a particular thing is called a part, and that from which the fraction is distinguished is called the whole. Therefore the fraction, or part, is included within the whole. The Lord is the whole, and the devotee is the part or fractional part. That is the relationship between the Lord and the devotee. There are also gradations of devotees, who are calculated as greater and lesser. When a devotee is great he is called  prabhu , and when he is lesser he is called  bhakta , or a devotee. The supreme whole is Kṛṣṇa, and Baladeva and all Viṣṇu incarnations are His fractions. Lord Kṛṣṇa is therefore conscious of His superior position, and all Viṣṇu incarnations are conscious of Their positions as devotees.
TEXT 100
কৃষ্ণের সমতা হৈতে বড় ভক্তপদ ।
আত্মা হৈতে কৃষ্ণের ভক্ত হয় প্রেমাস্পদ ॥ ১০০ ॥
kṛṣṇera samatā haite baḍa bhakta-pada ātmā haite kṛṣṇera bhakta haya premāspada
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇera —with Lord Kṛṣṇa;  samatā —equality;  haite —than this;  baḍa —greater;  bhakta-pada —the position of a devotee;  ātmā haite —than His own self;  kṛṣṇera —of Lord Kṛṣṇa;  bhakta —a devotee;  haya —is;  prema-āspada —the object of love.
TRANSLATION
The position of being a devotee is higher than that of equality with Lord Kṛṣṇa, for the devotees are dearer to Lord Kṛṣṇa than His own self.
PURPORT
The conception of oneness with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is inferior to that of eternal service to the Lord because Lord Kṛṣṇa is more affectionate to devotees than to His personal self. In  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  (9.4.68) the Lord clearly says:
sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham mad anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api