Srimad Bhagvatam:
VAISHNAVA / BRAHMANA IS A COUNTERPART BODY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD
TRANSLATION
MY DEAR KING, OF ALL PERSONS A QUALIFIED BRAHMANA MUST BE ACCEPTED AS THE BEST WITHIN THIS MATERIAL WORLD BECAUSE SUCH A BRAHMANA, BY PRACTICING AUSTERITY, VEDIC STUDIES AND SATISFACTION, BECOMES THE COUNTERPART BODY OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.
PURPORT
From the Vedas we learn that the Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person.
EVERY LIVING ENTITY IS AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON, AND THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, KRSHNA, IS THE SUPREME PERSON.
A brahmana who is well versed in Vedic knowledge and fully conversant with transcendental matters becomes a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one should worship such a brahmana or Vaishnava.
A Vaishnava is superior to a brahmana because whereas a brahmana knows that he is Brahman, not matter, a Vaishnava knows that he is not only Brahman but also an eternal servant of the Supreme Brahman.
THEREFORE, WORSHIP OF A VAISHNAVA IS SUPERIOR TO WORSHIP OF THE DEITY IN THE TEMPLE.
Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura says, sakshad dharitvena samasta-sastraim: IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, WHO IS THE BEST OF THE BRAHMANAS, THE BEST OF THE VAISHNAVAS, IS CONSIDERED TO BE AS GOOD AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN, HOWEVER, THAT THE VAISHNAVA THINKS HIMSELF GOD, FOR THIS IS BLASPHEMOUS.
Although a brahmana or Vaishnava is worshiped as being as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, SUCH A DEVOTEE ALWAYS REMAINS A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE LORD and never tries to enjoy the prestige that might accrue to him from being the Supreme Lord's representative.
