The only qualification you require, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted when he was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya, he was prescribing one after another different processes—karma, jñāna, yoga, dhyanavista, bhakti, so many things—and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was denying one after another, eho bāhya āge kaha, "This is not. This is external."
He began from the varṇāśrama-dharma, because that is the beginning of civilization.
- varṇāśramācāravatā
- puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
- viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ
- nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
- (CC Madhya 8.58)
Because unless one comes to the institute of varṇāśrama-dharma—brāhmiṇ, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, gṛhastha—they are not considered as civilized. So he began from this, Rāmānanda Rāya. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya āge kaha: "This is external. If you know something more, you can explain." Then he recommended karma-tyāga. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, "It is external."
In this way, when Rāmānanda quoted one verse from Brahmā's prayer in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām . . . (SB 10.14.3) Jñāne prayāsam. Brahmā recommended that one should not endeavor by his individual effort to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One's business should be that he may not change his position. Means he may remain a gṛhastha, he may remain a brāhmiṇ or śūdra or a sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. In whatever position he is, he is all right. The only business is that you should not be proud of mental speculation, jñāna-tyāga.
You have to give up this practice of mental speculation, but you try to understand the Supreme Lord by hearing from a realized soul, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Then the result will be, gradually, although the Supreme Lord is never conquerable, still He will be conquered. Ajito 'py jito 'py asi. Ajita, nobody can conquer. But simply by hearing about Him, you go on hearing, hearing about Him, one day you will find that the Supreme Lord has been conquered by you. You have become victorious.
That conquered means you have understood the whole science of Kṛṣṇa, whole spiritual science. This is recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement follows this principle. We are trying to give opportunity, every man, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. There is no need of practicing in the beginning. If you can practice, it is all right. But there is no need. Simply you hear about Kṛṣṇa. The Bhagavad-gītā . . . to hear about Kṛṣṇa means the Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, you can hear. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you can hear. And you remain in your position. We don't want to disturb your position. Whatever you are, you remain. But you hear about Kṛṣṇa. Then gradually Kṛṣṇa will be conquered by you. Ajita, although Kṛṣṇa . . .