Qualification for spiritual leadership flows from Krishna knowledge, not birth or worldly status.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
The Nectar of Devotion "Bhakti means devotional service" — October 16, 1972, Vṛndāvana 721016ND-VRNDAVAN [21:52 Minutes] NOD_721016ND-VRNDAVAN Pradyumna: [reading] "...is a summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which was written in Sanskrit by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. He was the chief of the six Gosvāmīs who were the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When he first met Lord Caitanya, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda was engaged as a minister in the Muhammadan government of Bengal. He and his brother Sanātana were then named Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa respectively, and they held responsible posts as ministers of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, five hundred years ago, the Hindu society was very rigid, and if a member of the brāhmaṇa caste accepted the service of a Muhammadan ruler he was at once rejected from brāhmaṇa society.
That was the position of the two brothers Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika. They belonged to the highly situated sārasvata-brāhmaṇa..." Prabhupāda: These two brothers, at that time their name was Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa. So they were ostracized from the brāhmaṇa community. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special grace, that He accepted two rejected gentlemen from the brāhmaṇa society and made them gosvāmīs.
That is the special significance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura from born in Muhammadan community and He made him the ācārya, namācārya. The..., practically Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to glorify the significance of the holy name. He is actually the ācārya, namācārya, but He transferred His namācārya-ship to Haridāsa Ṭhākura. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement, kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. It doesn't matter whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or anyone, if he's kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he can be made the spiritual master. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement's significance. So following His footsteps, we are preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult and giving sannyāsa for preaching.
That is not unauthorized. One who criticizes this action, he does not know the principle of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's principle is anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become spiritual master. This is the significance.
So from the very beginning, these two gosvāmīs... They were not in the beginning gosvāmīs. They were Sākara Mallika, Dabira Khāsa. But they were made gosvāmīs.
And Haridāsa Ṭhākura was made namācārya. Then go on. This is the new edition of Nectar of Devotion. Pradyumna: "They belonged to the highly-situated sārasvata-brāhmaṇa community, but they were ostracized due to their acceptance of ministerial posts in the government of Hussain Shah. It is the grace of Lord Caitanya that He accepted these two exalted personalities as His disciples..." Prabhupāda: The brāhmaṇa community was so strong that because acceptance of service is the business of the śūdra... The brāhmaṇas, they would not accept anyone's service.
The kṣatriyas, they would not accept anyone's service. And the vaiśyas also. They should live independently: brāhmaṇas, by culture of Vedic knowledge; kṣatriyas by exacting taxes from the citizens; and vaiśyas by trade, agriculture. They should live. To serve one is the business of the dog.