One has to become purified by freeing himself from all designation. This is the first step.
We are now under different designation. Every one of us is thinking that, "I am this body, and because I am this body and this body is produced under certain condition, in a certain family, by certain father and mother, in a certain society, certain country, certain land, therefore I have got, you have got so many designation." So we have to become first of all free from the designation. That is the first qualification for understanding the science of God. We have to become free from all designation.
And how one can become free? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am neither Indian, I am neither American, I am neither white, I am neither black, I am neither Christian, I am neither Hindu, Muhammadan. Caitanya Mahāprabhu described Himself like that. He said: "I am not a Brāhmiṇ, I am not a Kṣatriya, I am not a Vaiśya, I am not a Śūdra; I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a householder, I am not a vānaprastha, or I am not a renounced order, sannyāsī." Then what You are? Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80): "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa." This should be my real identification. This is very good identification.
In Kṛṣṇa consciousness we address our contemporaries as "prabhu." Prabhu means master. And the real idea is that, "You are my master, I am your servant." Just the opposite number. Here, in the material world, everyone wants to place himself as the master, "I am your master, you are my servant." That is the mentality of material existence. And the spiritual existence means, "I am the servant, you are the master." Just see. Just the opposite.
The māyā's attraction, the last snare of māyā is, in this material conception of life, that so many identification, "I am this," "I am that," "I am that," "I am big man," "I am rich man," "I am prime minister," then so on, so on. When we are frustrated in all these attempts, then we try to become God: "I am God." This is the last snare of māyā. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy is just the opposite. What to speak of God? He is to think himself as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of God.
So in one way it is very difficult. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructs that who can become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Who can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa very nicely? Tṛṇād api sunīcena. Tṛṇād api sunīcena means who thinks himself lower than the straw in the street, "I am lower than." Humble, very humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Tolerant more than the tree.
You know the trees are very much tolerant. They are giving you shelter, they are giving you shadow, and they are giving you protection from floods and so many things, giving you fruits. You are taking woods, leaves, flowers, but the trees do not make any protest. They are standing silent. Therefore they are very tolerant. The example of toleration is tree.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that one has to become humbler than the grass or straw in the street, tolerant than the tree, and amāninā, and refusing all kinds of respectful addresses from others, but offering all respect to others. He's not prepared to accept any respect from others, but he is prepared to give all respect to others.