In his Subhasita Nivi, Vedanta Desika says that among virtuous men the jnani is the best. Such a jnani is a mahapurusha — the greatest among the great. A mahapurusha overshadows the rest. It is almost as if their existence is as unreal as the existence of lotuses in the sky. In other words, even the presence of the others will not be noticed when a mahapurusha is present.
This idea of the best in each segment is seen in the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna says He is the best in every category, elaborated M.K. Srinivasan in a discourse. Lord Krishna says that among the Vedas, He is Sama Veda; among yakshas He is Kubera; among mountains He is Meru; among Maharishis He is Brighu; among Devarishis He is Narada; among trees He is the peepul tree; among elephants He is Gajendra; among serpents He is Adisesha; among animals He is the lion and among birds He is Vainatheya (Garuda) ; among rivers He is Jahnavi (Ganges) and so on. Mahapurushas perform all their duties, with a view to pleasing God. They are detached and reach God through bhakti or prapatti. They recite the Pranava mantra. Mahapurushas are not only knowledgeable about the dharma sastras, but also act according to them.
They are also humble. Knowledge of Sastraic texts and adherence to them can lead to conceit in a person. But mahapurushas are never arrogant. Knowledge can be acquired through diligent study and adherence comes through tradition, but being humble is not easy. That is why mahapurushas are respected — because of their humility. They think clearly and are never in a confused state of mind. Their lifestyle is simple. Their merciful glances can destroy our sins. .