Makhanlāl: There are many different levels of pure devotional service?
Prabhupāda: Pure devotional service is one. So long you are not on the pure platform, there are many. (break)
Makhanlāl: ...between the neophyte devotee who is following the principles.
Prabhupāda: Neophyte devotee is not on the topmost platform. He's learning. (loud foghorn blowing in background)
Makhanlāl: So a neophyte devotee who's following the principles of sādhana-bhakti is still considered pure devotee?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.
Makhanlāl: So at different levels of advancement of pure devotional service.
Satsvarūpa: Prabhupāda once gave the example of a mango, that when the mango is raw, it's still a mango. Then it becomes ripe—also a mango. So pure devotional service is different when we begin.
Prabhupāda: So raw condition and ripe condition is not the same. The mango is the same.
Devotee (1): The captain of that boat must know that you're here on the island today, because those whistles that he just blew were salutes. It's a master salute from the best man to the best man. He must know that you are here.
Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!
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 only? Why not sixteen? Opportunist. (laughter) Not devotee.
Makhanlāl: If one has even a 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..." (break)