Who is a Vaisnava? What is the symptom of a Vaisnava?
asat-sanga-tyaga ei vaisnava acara: “To give up the company of materialistic persons.”
“Whoever chants the holy name of Krsna just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
“That person is called a Vaisnava who takes the holy name in faith and pure intention.
Haridasa Thakura
One who chants the names of Krsna purely.
If a conditioned soul purely chants the holy names of the Lord with faith, he is a Vaisnava.
Bhakti Vinoda Thakura
The spiritual master’s servants are Vaisnavas. Devotees who are initiated by bona fide gurus and who have taken complete shelter at their spiritual master’s feet are Vaisnavas. According to how well we serve the spiritual master, we see differences in the quality of our service to Krsna.
Only devotees who are fixed at the spiritual master’s lotus feet and who are free of material desire are pure. A person who is free from the influence of wealth, women, and the tigress of fame is a Vaisnava. He is detached and pure and can defeat the entire world.
Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
The Vaisnavas have no desire, they all chant japa on their beads.
So what kind of Vaisnava is this Arjuna in the middle of samsara?
The Vaisnava freed from duality simply chants japa on his beads,
So say those who are eating the mind’s bananas.
The Vaisnava is without desire, and amicable by nature
But he is not a forceless weakling as people foolishly think.
In two great Indian wars, two great personalities;
Leaders amongst the Vaisnavas and were victorious.
Those who do not see the real Vaisnavas say that a Vaisnava is inactive.
But the Vaisnava is always active in the service of the Lord.
The Supreme Lord acts according to the will of the Vaisnavas,
Therefore by the mercy of the Vaisnavas the bewildered can be awakened.
The Vaisnavas can awaken the sleeping world
By their mercy the sinful can all become devotees.
A.C Bhaktivedanta Thakura Prabhupada ( Extract from Vrindavan Bhajana)
Observation
When ever a definition of who is a Vaisnava was asked all of them in the first place gave the definition of Pure Vaisnava.
