Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3 - Chapter 1 - Verse 20


Sanskrit:

यं वै विभूतिरुपयात्यनुवेलमन्यै-रर्थार्थिभि: स्वशिरसा धृतपादरेणु: ।धन्यार्पिताङ्‌घ्रितुलसीनवदामधाम्नोलोकं मधुव्रतपतेरिव कामयाना ॥ २० ॥

ITRANS:

yaṁ vai vibhūtir upayāty anuvelam anyairarthārthibhiḥ sva-śirasā dhṛta-pāda-reṇuḥdhanyārpitāṅghri-tulasī-nava-dāma-dhāmnolokaṁ madhuvrata-pater iva kāma-yānā

Translation:

The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, the dust of whose feet is worn on the head by others, waits upon You, as appointed, for she is anxious to secure a place in the abode of the king of bees, who hovers on the fresh wreath of tulasī leaves offered at Your feet by some blessed devotee.

Purport:

As previously described, tulasī has attained all superior qualities due to being placed at the lotus feet of the Lord. The comparison made here is very nice. As the king of bees hovers over the tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, so Lakṣmī, the goddess who is sought by the demigods, brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇavas and everyone else, always engages in rendering service to the lotus feet of the Lord. The conclusion is that no one can be the benefactor of the Lord; everyone is actually the servant of the servant of the Lord.