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Śrī-Caitanya-caritāmṛta
people neglect the importance of this system of  śrauta-paramparā , or receiving knowledge by discipline succession. In this age, people are prepared to argue that they can understand that which is beyond their limited knowledge and perception through so-called scientific observations and experiments, not knowing that actual truth comes down to man from authorities. This argumentative attitude is against the Vedic principles, and it is very difficult for one who adopts it to understand that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is as good as Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa and His holy name are identical, the holy name is eternally pure and beyond material contamination. It is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a transcendental vibration. The holy name is completely different from material sound, as confirmed by Narottama dāsa Thākura.  Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana : the transcendental vibration of  hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana  is imported from the spiritual world. Thus although materialists who are addicted to experimental knowledge and the so-called “scientific method” cannot place their faith in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mahā-mantra , it is a fact that simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mantra  offenselessly one can be freed from all subtle and gross material conditions. The spiritual world is called  Vaikuṇṭha , which means “without anxiety.” In the material world everything is full of anxiety ( kuṇṭha ), whereas in the spiritual world ( Vaikuṇṭha ) everything is free from anxiety. Therefore those who are afflicted by a combination of anxieties cannot understand the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mantra , which is free from all anxiety. In the present age the vibration of the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mahā-mantra  is the only process which is in a transcendental position beyond material contamination. Since the holy name can deliver a conditioned soul, it is explained here to be  sarva-mantra-sāra , the essence of all Vedic hymns.
A name which represents an object of this material world may be subjected to arguments and experimental knowledge, but in the absolute world a name and its owner, fame and the famous, are identical, and similarly the qualities, pastimes and everything else pertaining to the Absolute are also absolute. Although Māyāvādīs profess monism, they differentiate between the holy name of the Supreme Lord and the Lord Himself. For this offense of  nāmāparādha  they gradually glide down from their exalted position of  brahma-jñāna , as confirmed in the  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  ( Bhāg.  10.2.32):
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
Although by severe austerities they rise to the exalted position of  brahma-jñāna , they nevertheless fall down due to imperfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Although they profess to understand the Vedic  mantra ,  sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma  (“everything is  brahman ”), they are unable to understand that the holy name is also  brahman . If they regularly chant the  mahā-mantra , however, they can be relieved from this misconception. Unless one properly takes shelter of the holy name, he cannot be relieved from the offensive stage in chanting the holy name.