Srila Gurudeva: There is no other way to be happy except by hearing hari-katha in the association of Vaisnavas. Who is a Vaisnava? What is the definition of a Vaisnava?
Devotee: One who worships Lord Visnu.
Srila Gurudeva: Anyone who is chanting the holy name, hearing the holy name, hearing the pastimes of Krsna while having some relation with Krsna and almost all of their offenses have gone, especially all their anarthas have gone, then he is a Vaisnava.
alpa kari’ na maniha dasa hena nama
alpa bhagye dasa nahi karena bhagavan
agre haya mukti, tabe sarva-bandha-nasa
tabe se haite pare sri krsnera dasa
-Sri Caitanya-Bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 17.103-4
[Those who are devoid of a service attitude and do not wish to call themselves "krsna-dasa," are devoid of good fortune. The Lord will never accept them as His servants. Let those who would be liberated from material bondage accept the service of Krsna.]
At first, all offenses will go and all kinds of anarthas will go. A relation with Krsna will come and with this relation, with mood, bhava, he is chanting, remembering, and hearing the name and pastimes of Krsna. Those who are like this are really Vaisnava. But Vaisnavas are also of three kinds: uttama, madhyama, and kanistha. But really, ‘Vaisnava’ is used only for uttama Vaisnava. Like water, what is water? When we refer to water, we mean pure water by which we can drink and save our life. But also, the water of the sea is also water. The water in the drain is also water. But really, water is pure water which we can drink.
But, water is still of so many different kinds. So Vaisnava is of so many kinds, but really, when all kinds of anarthas are gone and he has no more offenses, any ten kinds of offenses, and he has some relation, a special relation with Krsna and is serving Guru and Vaisnava, chanting and remembering, this is Vaisnava. One who chants the holy name even once in his life, he is a kanistha. If he is always chanting, he is a madhyama. And if simply by seeing him inspiration comes and automatically anyone calls out, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna,” if whoever sees him starts chanting krsna-nama, then he is really uttama Vaisnava. Try to become an uttama Vaisnava.
[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on December 3rd, 1998, Malaysia, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 25]