Makhanlāl: In the Sixth Canto of the Bhāgavatam you made a statement that if a devotee chants the holy name even once inoffensively, this protects him eternally. Is it possible for a devotee . . .
Prabhupāda: Why you take advantage of chants one? Why not sixteen? Opportunist. (laughter) Not devotee.
Makhanlāl: If one has even some small amount . . .
Prabhupāda: This material calculation is not made by a devotee. When one is devotee, he'll chant more and more. He'll aspire, "If I could get millions of tongues and trillions of ear, then I could finish." That is devotee. And one is thinking how to finish it by chanting once, he's not devotee. That is neophyte stage. Therefore the regulation is you must chant sixteen rounds at least. Because he'll simply try to avoid it by his so-called intelligence.
Makhanlāl: It's possible for even a neophyte to chant offenselessly?
Prabhupāda: Not possible, but he has to do it. This is offense, to think that "I have chanted once, my all sinful activities are now neutralized." This is offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. This is the offense. (break)
Makhanlāl: Chanting, following the orders of the spiritual master . . .
Prabhupāda: That's all right. No calculation.
Makhanlāl: . . . is that considered offenseless chanting?
Prabhupāda: Hmm? Yes. You follow strictly the instructions. If you commit offense, how it is offenseless?
Makhanlāl: It's considered offenseless if, chanting, if one follows the orders of the spiritual master carefully?
Prabhupāda: There may be offense. You should go on chanting. That will be adjusted as you advance in chanting. Harer nāma harer nāma, harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Simply go on chanting. We shall see later on what is offense and not offense. (laughter) Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, not for any profit. But go on serving Him. That's all. Material calculation, "Now, this much I have profited . . ."