SB 5.24.26
tasya mahanubhavasyanupatham amrjita-kasayah ko vasmad-vidhah parihina-bhagavad-anugraha
upajigamisatiti.
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
Bali Maharaja said: Persons like us, who are still attached to material enjoyment, who are contaminated by the modes of material nature and who lack the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot follow the supreme path of Prahlada Maharaja, the exalted devotee of the Lord.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
It is said that for spiritual realization one must follow great personalities like Lord Brahma, Devarsi Narada, Lord Siva and Prahlada Maharaja. The path of bhakti is not at all difficult if we follow in the footsteps of previous acaryas and authorities, but those who are too materially contaminated by the modes of material nature cannot follow them. Although Bali Maharaja was actually following the path of his grandfather, because of his great humility he thought that he was not. It is characteristic of advanced Vaisnavas following the principles of bhakti that they think themselves ordinary human beings. This is not an artificial exhibition of humility; a Vaisnava sincerely thinks this way and therefore never admits his exalted position.