It is said, våddhatvaà vayasä vinä: one may be senior without being advanced in age. Even if one is not old, one gains seniority if he is senior in knowledge. Viçvarüpa was junior in relationship to the demigods because he was their nephew, but the demigods wanted to accept him as their priest, and therefore he would have to accept obeisances from them. The demigods explained that this should not be a cause for hesitation; he could become their priest because he was advanced in Vedic knowledge. Similarly. Cäëakya Paëòita advises, nécäd apy uttamaà jïänam: one may accept education from a member of a lower social order. The brähmaëas, the members of the most elevated varëa, are teachers, but a person in a lower family, such as a family of kñatriyas, vaiçyas or even çüdras, may be accepted as a teacher if he has knowledge. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu approved of this when He expressed this opinion before Rämänanda Räya.

SB 6.7.33