Spiritual authority rests solely on understanding Krishna and practicing Vaishnava character, transcending all caste and national boundaries.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Prabhupāda: kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya [Cc Madhya 8.128] This verse we were discussing last night, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not reserved for any particular person or nation or religion. [translated into Oriya throughout by Gaura-Govinda] The central point is that one must understand what is Kṛṣṇa. The other day somebody inquired, "What is the meaning of 'Kṛṣṇa'?" "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. Unless God is all-attractive, how He can become God?
So Vṛndāvana life means Kṛṣṇa comes, descends Himself to show what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God. So the picture, Vṛndāvana life, that is village life. There are villagers, cultivators, cows, calves—that is Vṛndāvana. It is not a big city like New York, London; it is village, and the central point is Kṛṣṇa.
This is Vṛndāvana life. There the gopīs, they are village girls, and the cowherd boys, they are also village boys. Nanda Mahārāja is the head of the village, agriculturist. Similarly, the elderly persons and the elderly gopīs, Mother Yaśodā and her other friends—all are attracted by Kṛṣṇa.
This is Vṛndāvana life. They even did not know what is Kṛṣṇa. They did not know by reading Vedas, Purāṇas, Vedānta to understand Kṛṣṇa. But their natural affection was for Kṛṣṇa. So this svābhāvika ākarṣaṇa can be...
At the present moment we have no natural attraction for Kṛṣṇa; therefore we must understand by knowledge what is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa tattva vettā. So why one should be attracted to Kṛṣṇa unless Kṛṣṇa has all the attractive features? The attraction...
Generally, in this material world we are attracted to a rich man or to a powerful man, man or woman. Just like our Prime Minister, she is woman, but because she is powerful, we are attracted; we talk of her. So the points of attractions are discussed by Parāśara Muni as bhaga. Bhaga means opulence.
So these opulences... When one is very rich, he is opulent. One is very powerful, he is attractive. One is very influential, one is very beautiful, one is very highly learned...