# Cc. Madhya 5.23 > কন্যাদান-পাত্র আমি না হই তোমার । > কৃষ্ণপ্রীত্যে করি তোমার সেবা-ব্যবহার ॥২৩॥ ## Text > kanyā-dāna-pātra āmi nā ha-i tomāra > kṛṣṇa-prītye kari tomāra sevā-vyavahāra ## Synonyms *kanyā-dāna-pātra*—a bridegroom suitable for one's daughter; *āmi*—I; *nā*—not; *ha-i*—am; *tomāra*—of you; *kṛṣṇa-prītye*—only for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa; *kari*—I do; *tomāra*—of you; *sevā*—of service; *vyavahāra*—activities. ## Translation **"Sir, I am not a suitable bridegroom for your daughter. I render service to you only for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.** ## Purport Both *brāhmaṇas* were pure Vaiṣṇavas. The younger man took special care of the older one simply to please Kṛṣṇa. In *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (11.19.21) Kṛṣṇa says, *mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā:* "It is better to render service to My devotee." Thus, according to the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is better to be a servant of the servant of God. One should not try to serve Kṛṣṇa directly. A pure Vaiṣṇava serves a servant of Kṛṣṇa and identifies himself as a servant of a servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is pleasing to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura confirms this philosophy: *chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā.* Unless one serves a liberated Vaiṣṇava, he cannot attain liberation by directly serving Kṛṣṇa. He must serve the servant of Kṛṣṇa.