Isn't It Harsh To Call Leaders Demons

“One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvelous acts of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy songs about the Lord is to be considered to possess earholes like the holes of snakes and a tongue like the tongue of a frog.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.20)

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बिले बतोरुक्रम-विक्रमान् ये
न शृण्वतः कर्ण-पुटे नरस्य
जिह्वासती दार्दुरिकेव सूत
न चोपगायत्य् उरुगाय-गाथाः

bile batorukrama-vikramān ye
na śṛṇvataḥ karṇa-puṭe narasya
jihvāsatī dārdurikeva sūta
na copagāyaty urugāya-gāthāḥ

Friend1: I often hear His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada make comparisons to the dogs and hogs.

Friend2: In what context? We worship dog instead of God? It is a clever play on words, if you think about it.

Friend1: Very accurate, too. We forgo worshiping the Almighty, but will do everything for a dependent animal. We should not treat any being in an ill-manner, but the priority is off.

Friend2: Inverted. Upside-down. Worship God first, and then offer respect and compassion to others. It is like watering the roots of the tree instead of the individual branches.

Friend1: Let’s deal with the comparison in terms of world leaders. Calling the people in government hogs and dogs. Demons of the highest order.

Friend2: Do you disagree with that assessment?

Friend1: Probably not. Prabhupada is on to something. These people lie, cheat and steal. They have no problem, for instance, stuffing the ballot box while the whole world is watching. After someone calls them out on the theft, they reply with, “You have no evidence.” Their sycophants in the media go along. Pretty soon, the honest person starts to doubt whether they are sane.

“Everyone else is telling me that two plus two equals five, so maybe I am the one who is wrong.”

Friend2: Those leaders will do worse than that. They will kill anyone who opposes them in a serious way.

Friend1: Prabhupada goes further to condemn the followers of such leaders. “The cheaters and the cheated” is the term, I believe.

Friend2: Keep in mind, this isn’t anything made up. Read Shrimad Bhagavatam and you will find the origin of the harsh assessment. There is one verse where a person’s ears are likened to a snake-hole.

Friend1: On what basis?

Friend2: Because they have never heard the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those ears will only listen to rubbish. The talk of the village. Gossip. Rebuke of truth. Nothing of value.

Friend1: I see.

Friend2: Just wait until you cover family life. The comparison is to a person who has fallen into a pit. They are essentially drinking their own blood in order to survive. You have to love it when someone gives it to you straight. Thank God for people like Prabhupada.

Friend1: I get that, but it makes living within society much more difficult.

Friend2: Why?

Friend1: Lamentation. You feel sorry for everyone else. You don’t want to think of yourself as being better, either.

Friend2: It’s not about superior or inferior. You have been fortunate to hear the transcendental message. Take the lesson seriously. The acharyas speak the truth. When they speak, listen carefully. Then deliver the same message to others.

Friend1: Okay, but if the people and leaders are like cats and dogs, who will listen? Wouldn’t I run the risk of persecution? Look at what they did to Jesus Christ.

Friend2: One moon lights up the dark night. People deserve to hear the truth. You cannot save the world, but no one is asking you to. Save yourself and then save others. Parampara has passed down the timeless wisdom, which is evergreen. You can hear the sacred sounds every day and also repeat them: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

A harsh assessment made,
Where government leaders paid.

Their benefactors only obeying,
And whatever lies saying.

But truth from acharyas to hear,
Presenting in terms clear.

That this life meant for glories to hear,
And to Supreme Lord coming near.