Sincere eagerness to serve Krishna, not scholarship, is the only price for achieving transcendental perfection.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.91–2 — March 13, 1974, Vṛndāvana 740313CC-VRNDAVAN [25:59 Minutes] CcAdi-07.091–092_740313CC-VRNDAVAN Prabhupāda: ...Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, why He was not engaged in reading Vedānta-sūtra and why He was indulging in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that in this age, Kali-yuga, Vedānta-sūtra, to study Vedānta-sūtra and to understand the purport of Vedānta-sūtra, is very difficult. It requires a very good Sanskrit scholarship. Although it is not very difficult to understand if it is taken by the paramparā system, but because people try to understand Vedānta-sūtra by scholastic demeanor, therefore it becomes difficult. It was discussed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya.
He was a very learned scholar. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya... [aside, about fan:] Make little curbed. [someone turns fan off] Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want...?
Prabhupāda wants the fan down more, on him.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To keep the flies off. [fan noise resumes]
Prabhupāda: Yes. Not so much. That's all. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's touching his body.
Prabhupāda: So the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs everywhere, they are very proud of their Sanskrit education. Sometimes people ask our students, "Whether you have learned Sanskrit?" But Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding does not depend on Sanskrit scholarship. That is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said to the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that "My Guru Mahārāja studied Me as a great fool." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, presenting Himself.
He was a learned scholar, undoubtedly, very learned scholar. In His youthful age He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. This paṇḍita title, especially the brāhmaṇas are given this paṇḍita title. But He was specifically known as Paṇḍita, Nimāi Paṇḍita, very good scholar.