CC Madhya 10.117

advaita-nityānandera parama priyatama
śrīvāsādi bhakta-gaṇera haya prāṇa-sama
Word for word: 
advaita — of Advaita Ācārya; nityānandera — of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; parama — very; priya-tama — dear; śrīvāsa-ādi — beginning with Śrīvāsa; bhakta-gaṇera — of the devotees; haya — is; prāṇa-sama — exactly like the life and soul.
Translation: 
Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara was very dear to Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu, and he was the life and soul of all the devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.