56
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 6, Ch. 7]
śrī-viśvarūpa uvāca 
  vigarhitaṁ dharma-śīlair 
  brahmavarca-upavyayam 
  kathaṁ nu mad-vidho nāthā 
  lokeśair abhiyācitam 
  pratyākhyāsyati tac-chiṣyaḥ 
  sa eva svārtha ucyate
śrī-viśvarūpaḥ uvāca—Śrī Viśvarūpa said;  vigarhitam —condemned;  dharma-śīlaiḥ —by persons respectful to the religious principles;  brahma-varcaḥ —of brahminical strength or power;  upavyayam —causes loss;  katham —how;  nu —indeed;  mat-vidhaḥ —a person like me;  nāthāḥ —O lords;  loka-īśaiḥ —by the ruling powers of different planets;  abhiyācitam —request;  pratyākhyāsyati —will refuse;  tat-śiṣyaḥ —who is on the level of their disciple;  saḥ —that;  eva —indeed;  sva-arthaḥ —real interest;  ucyate —is described as.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Viśvarūpa said: O demigods, although the acceptance of priesthood is decried as causing the loss of previously acquired brahminical power, how can someone like me refuse to accept your personal request? You are all exalted commanders of the entire universe. I am your disciple and must take many lessons from you. Therefore I cannot refuse you. I must agree for my own benefit.
PURPORT
The professions of a qualified  brāhmaṇa  are  paṭhana ,  pāṭhana ,  yajana ,  yājana ,  dāna  and  pratigraha . The words  yajana  and  yājana  mean that a  brāhmaṇa  becomes the priest of the populace for the sake of their elevation. One who accepts the post of spiritual master neutralizes the sinful reactions of the  yajamāna , the one on whose behalf he performs  yajña . Thus the results of the pious acts previously performed by the priest or spiritual master are diminished. Therefore priesthood is not accepted by learned  brāhmaṇas . Nevertheless, the greatly learned  brāhmaṇa  Viśvarūpa became the priest of the demigods because of his profound respect for them.