SB 11.14.15

Neither Brahmā, Śiva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, the goddess of fortune nor even my own self are as dear to me as you are. “How much is the devotee dear to you?” Śrīdhara Svāmī says “Even Brahmā my own son, Śiva, arising from my svarūpa, Saṅkarṣaṇa, my brother, Lakṣmī, my wife, and my own form, are not as dear to me as the devotee. However, out of great joy, he praises Uddhava specifically.” Though Brahmā and others are also devotees, their identity as son, amśa, brother or wife is more prominent than their devotee portion. According to the rule that things are designated by predominant qualities, they should be designated as son, aṁśa, brother and wife rather than as devotees. In persons like Nanda and Yaśodā, their bhakta portion is much greater than their identity as parents, because of the greatness of their prema. Thus they are called devotees rather than parents. They are dearest to Kṛṣṇa. Darśayaṁs tad-vidāṁ loka ātmano bhakta-vaśyatām: the Lord displays the attribute of coming under the control of his devotees. (SB 10.11.9) Thus they are called devotees, and they bring Kṛṣṇa under their control. The excellence of Yaśoḍa is praised: nemaṁ viriṣco na bhavo na śrīr apy aṅga-saṁśrayā prasādaṁ lebhire gopī yat tat prāpa vimuktidāt Neither Brahmā, nor Śiva, nor even the goddess of fortune, who is always the better half of the Supreme Lord, can obtain from the Supreme Lord, the deliverer from this material world, such mercy as received by mother Yaśodā. SB 10.9.20 Another meaning is “Among all these devotees, you are the dearest. Hear this from my mouth.” Among all the devotees Uddhava is the best. The gopīs however are the best of all, since Uddhava prayed from the dust from their feet. This is the conclusion of the Vaiṣṇavas.