What, and Who, Is a Leader? 

In a short exchange on Facebook, Sanaka Rsi made the remarks that I was using words in a wrong way, in that case it was the expression: Cognitive Dissonance.

"Cognitive Dissonance, in my understanding, is a conflict between our thoughts, values and actions. You are believing in idealistic leaders because Bhagavad-gita mentions them. I am telling you that such leaders do not actually exist. You seem to think differently and are inducing devotees to believe that the problem is not having good leaders in place. Is it not? Just like initiation… Only a pure devotee can bring his disciple to Krishna, but such a guru does not exist. Prabhupada dixit. Believing otherwise is cognitive dissonance."

You wrote: "Leaders teach by their example!" Is this your personal realization? It sounds like we inhabit different worlds. In my experience, leaders are cheaters. Whether in France, Germany, Italy, England, Canada, Israel, the USA —name any country— leaders are first-class cheaters. This is a truth Srila Prabhupada taught us. That is the reason devotees distance themselves from politics. 

Why did I use the psychological term "cognitive dissonance"? Because Sanaka Rsi replied to me by simply pointing to Bhagavad-gita 3.21, accusing me of negligence rather than explaining the verse’s relevance to our discussion. For instance, he could have clarified: What are the "favorable winds" propelling the boat of the Hare Krishna Movement that distinguish it from other communities? Instead, he dismissed the opportunity and ignored my reference to Srila Prabhupada’s warning: Leaders are cheaters; they will go to hell —and take their followers with them.  

Sanaka Rsi knows this perfectly well. So why did he mention BG 3.21? Here’s the verse:  

"Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues."

The purport is clear: people follow the "great man."  

Sanaka’s post aimed to denounce Bhaktivikasa Swami as a deviant. Other ISKCON leaders are also frequently exposed on this forum for their crimes or misdeeds. Clearly, these are not exemplary figures. By asserting that "leaders teach by their example," he must have specific leaders in mind. Who are they?  

Recently, ISKCON News published an article congratulating the new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV. By conventional standards, he is a "great leader" —just like Obama or Modi are. But what 'is' a leader, exactly? Words can be ambiguous. Take "Semite" and "anti-Semitism," or "liberal"—their meanings shift depending on geography, even becoming opposites. Some American devotees find Donald Trump abominable; others hail him as a great leader. Some admire Vladimir Putin; others prefer Zelensky —while many despise both.  

Bhagavad-gita uses the term śreṣṭhaḥ (noble character) to describe the "great man." Is Pope Leo XIV the kind of leader Krishna refers to? In my understanding, no. When Srila Prabhupada speaks of ideal leaders, he cites Prithu Maharaj, Yudhishthira, or Ramachandra. In that sense, he is an idealist —because such leaders do not exist in Kali-yuga, nor will they ever. In fact, when Prabhupada discusses modern leaders (spiritual or material), he emphasizes their corrupt mentality.  

Leaders are primarily administrators or soldiers tasked with protecting society from cheaters. Religious leaders, meanwhile, should guide followers toward loving God and cultivating compassion for the weak. This is how I see it —which is why I repeat: such glorious leaders do not exist today. If they do, they are exceedingly rare. I may be wrong, but respectful dialogue is essential to make positive progress in these matters.  ■

In this connection, you may want to read this article: How does purification work?