tasyavanijya caranau tad-apah sva-murdhna

 bibhraj jagad-gurutamo ’pi satam patir hi

brahmanya-deva iti yad guna-nama yuktam

 tasyaiva yac-carana-saucam asesa-tirtham

 

Translation: 

 

The Lord bathed Narada’s feet and then put the water on His own head. Although Lord Krsna is the supreme spiritual authority of the universe and the master of His devotees, it was proper for Him to behave in this way, for His name is Brahmanya-deva, “the Lord who favors the brahmanas.” Thus Sri Krsna honored the sage Narada by bathing his feet, even though the water that bathes the Lord’s own feet becomes the Ganges, the ultimate holy shrine.

 

Purport: 

 

Since Lord Krsna’s own lotus feet are the source of the most holy Ganges, the Lord did not have to purify Himself by bathing Narada Muni’s feet. Rather, as Srila Prabhupada explains: “Lord Krsna in Dvaraka enjoyed the pastimes of a perfect human being. When, therefore, He washed the feet of the sage Narada and took the water on His head, Narada did not object, knowing well that the Lord did so to teach everyone how to respect saintly persons.”