Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3 - Chapter 1 - Verse 17

Sanskrit:

श्री शुक उवाचस एवं भगवान् पृष्ट: क्षत्‍त्रा कौषारवो मुनि: ।पुंसां नि:श्रेयसार्थेन तमाह बहुमानयन् ॥ १७ ॥

ITRANS:

śrī-śuka uvācasa evaṁ bhagavān pṛṣṭaḥkṣattrā kauṣāravo muniḥpuṁsāṁ niḥśreyasārthenatam āha bahu-mānayan

Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The great sage Maitreya Muni, after honoring Vidura very greatly, began to speak, at Vidura’s request, for the greatest welfare of all people.

Purport:

The great sage Maitreya Muni is described here as bhagavān because he surpassed all ordinary human beings in learning and experience. Thus his selection of the greatest welfare service for the world is considered authoritative. The all-inclusive welfare service for the entire human society is devotional service to the Lord, and, as requested by Vidura, the sage described the same very appropriately.