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Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
[Antya-līlā, Ch. 16]
dog-eater. However, a  vaiṣṇava  found in  varṇas  other than  brāhmaṇa  can purify all the three worlds."
The  Padma Purāṇa  further says:
śūdraṁ vā bhagavad-bhaktaṁ niṣādaṁ śva-pacaṁ tathā vikṣate jāti-sāmānyāt sa yāti narakaṁ dhruvam
"One who considers a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who was born in a family of  śūdras ,  niṣādas  or  caṇḍālas  to belong to that particular caste certainly goes to hell."
A  brāhmaṇa  must be a  Vaiṣṇava  and a learned scholar. Therefore in India it is customary to address a  brāhmaṇa  as  paṇḍita . Without knowledge of Brahman, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore a  Vaiṣṇava  is already a  brāhmaṇa , whereas a  brāhmaṇa  may become a  Vaiṣṇava . In the  Garuḍa Purāṇa  it is said:
bhaktir aṣṭa-vidhā hy eṣā yasmin mlecche 'pi vartate sa viprendro muni-śreṣṭhaḥ sa jñānī sa ca paṇḍitaḥ
"If even a  mleccha  becomes a devotee, he is to be considered the best of the  brāhmaṇas  and a learned  paṇḍita ."
Similarly,  Tattva-sāgara  says:
yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām
"As bell metal is turned to gold when mixed with mercury in an alchemical process, so one who is properly trained and initiated by a bona fide spiritual master becomes a  brāhmaṇa  immediately." All this evidence found in the revealed scriptures proves that according to the Vedic version, a  Vaiṣṇava  is never to be considered an  abrāhmaṇa , or non- brāhmaṇa . A  Vaiṣṇava  should not be thought to belong to a lower caste even if born in a  mleccha  or  yavana  family. Because he has become a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he has become purified and has attained the stage of  brāhmaṇa  ( dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām ).