It doesn't matter whether a man is a śūdra or a brahmin or a sannyāsī or a householder. It doesn't matter. If he actually knows the science of God, kṛṣṇa-tattva . . . Kṛṣṇa means God, the Supreme Lord, and tattva means scientific knowledge. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta sei guru haya.
And another place Lord Caitanya says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra sarva deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). To become a spiritual master, one may think it is very difficult job. Yes, it is very difficult job, but it is also very simple thing. Very difficult job in this way: If one cannot assimilate the Vedic knowledge, veda-vāda-paraḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ, if they become simply Vedic student only, without assimilating, then it is very difficult. But if one can understand what is the idea of Vedic principle, then it is very easy.
So what is the idea of Vedic principle? The Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). By different scriptures, Vedic literatures—the four Vedas, the Upaniṣads the Vedānta-sūtra, and any other literature—Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata . . . there are so many allied scriptures. The whole aim is, target is, Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam. So actually the Vedas are searching Kṛṣṇa. In the Brahma-saṁhitā also it is stated:
- advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam
- ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
- vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.33)
It is very difficult to find out Kṛṣṇa within the Veda. But if you are fortunate enough to contact a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he can deliver you. And if one understands Kṛṣṇa, then he understands the whole Veda.
So this merciful benediction was given by Lord Kṛṣṇa, er, by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). He is Kṛṣṇa. Categorically, He is Kṛṣṇa, or chanting Kṛṣṇa. But by complexion He is akṛṣṇa. Tviṣākṛṣṇam. So He gave us this greatest benediction, that you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and you get all knowledge.
The greatest impediment of acquiring knowledge is congestion of our heart with dirty things. Lord Caitanya says that if you chant without any offense, very nicely, then your heart becomes cleansed of all dirty things. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12, Śikṣāṣṭaka 1). And then you are liberated. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati (BG 18.54).
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on Lord Caitanya's teaching. We have published the book Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not a new thing. Of course, in this country it is being presented for the last two years, but the thing is not new. It is the oldest because, if we take the version of Bhagavad-gītā, Lord (Kṛṣṇa) says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1) "This yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken by Me to Vivasvān, the sun-god." Vivasvān manave prāha: "And the sun-god said to his son Manu." Manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. Evaṁ paramparā-prāpta (BG 4.2)
"In this way it is coming." Sa kaleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "But unfortunately that link has been broken; therefore I am speaking again to you the old philosophy, yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, unto you, Arjuna." "Why You are speaking to me? I am not a Vedāntist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not even brahmin. Why You want to teach me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee."
Therefore the first qualification of understanding the Vedas or Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise it is blocked. Just like if you take a bottle of honey and lick it on the bottle, you won't get the taste. It has to be opened, who has got the key. Then you get the taste of the honey.
So Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by academic scholarship. It is not possible, the same bottle-licking. But it has to be opened by the devotee, just like Arjuna opened it—paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). He understood Kṛṣṇa. So we have to follow the opener of the bottle, honey bottle. Then you will taste what is Bhagavad-gītā.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the human society. And the purification process, simply by chanting, is sufficient. But still, our Gosvāmīs, they have given us some ritualistic ceremonies. That will help the process of purification.