अहं भक्तपराधीनो ह्यस्वतन्त्र इव द्विज ।
साधुभिर्ग्रस्तहृदयो भक्तैर्भक्तजनप्रिय: ॥
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno hy asvatantra iva dvija |
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.4.63; cited in the Durgama Saṅgamanī-ṭīkā and Bhakti-sāra-pradaśinī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.248; Paramātma Sandarbha: 93, Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 177, Bhakti Sandarbha: 181, Prīti Sandarbha: 62, 122, 146)
[Viṣṇu to Durvāsā:] “O brāhmaṇa, I am completely controlled by my bhaktas. Indeed, it is as though I am not independent. My heart is captured by the sādhus, my bhaktas, as I hold my bhaktas dear [and so also those who belong to my bhaktas].”