In our conditioned state, the Supreme Lord seems far away, imperceptible to our blunt material senses. We cannot see Him with our earthly eyes or touch Him with our hands. However, the Vedic scriptures reveal a deep esoteric truth: in the absolute realm, there is no difference between the Supreme Lord and His holy name.
The Brhan-naradiya Purana and other shastras confirm that God being Absolute, His name, form, qualities, and pastimes are identical to Him. In the material world, if you are thirsty and chant "water, water," your thirst will not be quenched because the word and the substance are different. But because Krishna is fully spiritual, when you chant "Krishna," He is personally present dancing on your tongue.
Through chanting, the soul is directly associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Over time, as the offenses in chanting diminish and the practitioner's devotion grows, this connection becomes a tangible, localized experience. The veil of maya (illusion) is lifted, and the soul realizes its eternal relationship with God. Thus, the holy name acts as a direct, unbreakable telephone line connecting the wandering soul back to its supreme source.