Within this movement, spiritual leadership no longer rests on a single living ācārya, as it did with its founder, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Instead, authority is distributed through a structured hierarchy that seeks to preserve his teachings and mood. At the apex of this structure stands the Governing Body Commission (GBC), recognized as the highest managing and spiritual authority. This collective body of senior devotees oversees global operations, establishes policy on doctrine and discipline, and approves those who may serve as initiating gurus. In this way, leadership is conceived less as the charisma of one individual and more as a shared responsibility to safeguard a spiritual legacy.

Beneath the GBC, a network of authorized initiating (dīkṣā) gurus serves as the personal spiritual guides for practitioners. These senior devotees, approved by the GBC, accept disciples, offer initiation, and provide systematic guidance in Krishna consciousness. Among those who have been especially prominent are figures such as Jayapataka Swami, Radhanath Swami, Giriraj Swami, Gopal Krishna Goswami, Lokanath Swami, Indradyumna Swami, Sivarama Swami, Jayadvaita Swami, Bhakti Vikas Swami, and Romapada Swami. Other well-known teachers such as Bhakti Charu Swami and Bhakti Tirtha Swami, though no longer physically present, continue to exert influence through their teachings and example. All such gurus are understood to function within a common framework, representing the same disciplic tradition rather than founding separate spiritual lineages.

Alongside these initiating gurus, there is a broad stratum of śikṣā-gurus and senior teachers who shape the daily spiritual life of the community. Temple presidents, regional leaders, sannyāsīs, and long-standing dedicated devotees often act as instructing gurus, offering scriptural teaching, pastoral care, and practical guidance. Their influence may be less formal than that of an initiating guru, yet it is often more immediate and personal, touching the lived experience of practitioners in temples and congregations. In practice, spiritual authority thus flows through many channels: the collective decisions of the GBC, the personal mentorship of initiating gurus, and the steady counsel of experienced teachers.

At the heart of this entire arrangement stands the enduring role of Śrīla Prabhupāda as “Founder-Ācārya” and primary śikṣā-guru for all members, present and future. Even when a devotee accepts initiation from a living guru, that relationship is framed as taking shelter within Prabhupāda’s mission and teachings. The various leaders and gurus see themselves as servants of his vision, not as independent authorities. In this sense, the movement’s spiritual leadership can be understood as a coordinated effort to keep one foundational current of devotion flowing through many hands and voices, while maintaining fidelity to its original source.