40
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 5, Ch. 1]
worlds, Priyavrata, his own position being inferior, offered obeisances, accepted the order and carried it out with great respect.
PURPORT
Śrī Priyavrata was the grandson of Lord Brahmā. Therefore according to social etiquette, his position was inferior. It is the duty of the inferior to carry out the order of the superior with great respect. Priyavrata therefore immediately said, “Yes, sir. I shall carry out your order.” Priyavrata is described as a  mahā-bhāgavata , a great devotee. The duty of a great devotee is to carry out the order of the spiritual master, or the spiritual master of the spiritual master in the  paramparā  system. As described in  Bhagavad-gītā  (4.2),  evaṁ paramparā prāptam : one has to receive the instructions of the Supreme Lord through the disciplic chain of spiritual masters. A devotee of the Lord always considers himself a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord.
TEXT 21
भगवानपि मनुना यथावदुपकल्पितापचितिः प्रियव्रतनारद योरविषमम- भिसमीक्षमाणयोरात्मसमवस्थानमवाङ्मनसं क्षयमव्यवहृतं प्रवर्तयन्नगमत ॥२१॥
bhagavān api manunā yathāvad upakalpitāpacitiḥ priyavrata- nāradayor aviṣamam abhisamīkṣamāṇayor ātmasam avasthānam avāṅ- manasaṁ kṣayam avyavahṛtaṁ pravartayann agamat.
bhagavān —the most powerful Lord Brahmā;  api —also;  manunā —by Manu;  yathāvat —as deserved;  upakalpita-apacitiḥ —being worshiped;  priyavrata-nāradayoḥ —in the presence of Priyavrata and Nārada;  aviṣamam —without aversion;  abhisamīkṣamāṇayoḥ —looking on;  āt- masam —just suitable for his position;  avasthānam —to his abode;  a- vāk-manasam —beyond the description of mind and words;  kṣayam — the planet;  avyavahṛtam —extraordinarily situated;  pravartayan — departing;  agamat —returned.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā was then worshiped by Manu, who respectfully satisfied him as well as he could. Priyavrata and Nārada also looked