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 Knowing Krṣṇa as He Is
We do not need any high qualifications to offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever our social or intellectual position may be, we can offer prayers. We do not have to be very learned or very scholarly, nor do we have to present our prayers in nicely selected words that are poetical, rhetorical or metaphorical. None of this is required, although if it is there it is very nice. We simply have to express our feelings, but in order to be able to do this we have to be aware of our position. Once we are aware of our position, our feelings can be expressed sincerely and automatically.
What is our position? This has been taught by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who teaches us how to pray in his prayer:
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ 
        kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye 
        mama janmani janmanīśvare 
        bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
“O almighty Lord! I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor have I any desire to enjoy beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only is that I may have Your causeless devotional service in my life—birth after birth.” ( Śikṣāṣṭakam , 4)
In this prayer the word  jagadīśa  means “Lord of the universe.”  Jagat  means universe, and  īśa  means
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