When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, you must remember that I am speaking of God. There are millions of name of God in different parts of the world, but "Kṛṣṇa" is the supreme name according to Vedic knowledge.
So therefore Lord Caitanya has recommended, and His recommendation is accepted by the authorities even at the present moment:
- kibā śūdra, kibā vipra, nyāsī kene naya
- yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya
- (CC Madhya 8.128)
And you'll be surprised that Lord Caitanya's principal disciples were all so-called fallen in the society. He appointed one Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. This Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a Muhammadan. He happened to take his birth in a Muhammadan family, but he became a follower of Caitanya, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after training him, He gave him the highest post of His spiritual mission.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to introduce this system of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare . . . chanting of the holy name of God, and He appointed this Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who happened to be a Muhammadan. But he became so much enlightened that Caitanya Mahāprabhu appointed him the supreme minister of administering this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. He was, he was made the authority, nāmācārya. Ācārya means the prime minister, the authority.
So there are other, six important direct disciples, just like Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī. Now, these gentlemen were formerly known as Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khān. Dabira Khān . . . that was the Muhammadan period. India was being governed by that time by the Pathans, and in Bengal there was a Pathan ruler whose name was Nawab Hussain Shah. This . . . but these gentlemen, Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khān, they were appointed minister in the service, in the governmental service of Nawab Hussain Shah. And in those days, the Hindus were so strict that anyone accepting the service, especially the brāhmiṇs, if he accepts, if a brāhmiṇ accepts the service of anyone, especially who is not a Hindu, he is at once extricated from the society.
So these two gentlemen, Sākara Mallika, they almost became . . . they changed their name also. They were actually brāhmiṇs, very intelligent, learned. They were very good scholar. In Parsi, er, Persian language, and Sanskrit language they were very good scholar. But because they engaged themself in the service of the Muhammadan ruler, they were, I mean to say, extricated from the socially, brāhmaṇa society. So Caitanya . . . they also followed Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they were made the best authorities in this science of Kṛṣṇa science. They . . . later on, they became Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī.
So there is no bar for anyone, that one cannot become the spiritual master. Everyone can become spiritual master, provided he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. That is the only qualification. And that is very reasonable. If you do not this . . . do not know the subject matter, how can you be a teacher? Eh? A teacher means he knows the thing. He knows the science. So only qualification of the spiritual master, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kibā śūdra, kibā vipra, nyāsī kene naya, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā: "Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa . . ." This is science of Kṛṣṇa, this Bhagavad-gītā. If anyone knows perfectly, then he becomes the spiritual master.