In the Absolute world, the name water and the water is the same. This is called Absolute, no different separation. So in the kingdom of God, the God is God and His son is also God. There the everything—there is no difference between the name and the substance. Here in this material world the name and the substance, different. Just like if I am thirsty, I want water. So the water must come to me. If I simply chant, "Water, water, water," that will not be effective, because it is relative world. But in the transcendental world, Kṛṣṇa is the name of God and it is God also. So by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you are directly in contact with God. This is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa. Directly in contact.
Now, if we imitate that, "These boys and girls are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is a name only. So let me chant . . . instead of Kṛṣṇa, let me chant John," but that chanting will not help you, because you cannot chant more than three, four times or ten times, that's all. But this is the proof. And this Hare Kṛṣṇa, this chanting, if you ask these boys and girls, they can chant continually for twenty-four hours in ecstasy, continually, without any stoppage. That is spiritual name. You cannot take any other name and chant and enjoy like that. So it is practical experience. I am touring all over the world, three times in a year, and because this chanting is Absolute, everyone is joining—Europe, America, Africa, Canada, Japan, China, everywhere. Nobody says that, "This is a word from India. Why shall I chant the Indian name?" No. It is God's name. God is neither Indian nor American nor otherwise, neither Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. God is God.