Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 1 - Chapter 1 - Verse 30

Sanskrit:

स संवृतस्तत्र महान् महीयसांब्रह्मर्षिराजर्षिदेवर्षिसङ्घै: ।व्यरोचतालं भगवान् यथेन्दु-र्ग्रहर्क्षतारानिकरै: परीत: ॥ ३० ॥

ITRANS:

sa saṁvṛtas tatra mahān mahīyasāṁbrahmarṣi-rājarṣi-devarṣi-saṅghaiḥvyarocatālaṁ bhagavān yathendurgraharkṣa-tārā-nikaraiḥ parītaḥ

Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī was then surrounded by saintly sages and demigods just as the moon is surrounded by stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. His presence was gorgeous, and he was respected by all.

Purport:

In the great assembly of saintly personalities, there was Vyāsadeva the brahmarṣi, Nārada the devarṣi, Paraśurāma the great ruler of the kṣatriya kings, etc. Some of them were powerful incarnations of the Lord. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was not known as brahmarṣi, rājarṣi or devarṣi, nor was he an incarnation like Nārada, Vyāsa or Paraśurāma. And yet he excelled them in respects paid. This means that the devotee of the Lord is more honored in the world than the Lord Himself. One should therefore never minimize the importance of a devotee like Śukadeva Gosvāmī.