This is from a Srimad Bhagavatam class at New Talavan in USA on 17 June 1994

Devotee: Seeing as Guru’s discipline is required to control the stupid mind what should the disciple do when the Guru passes away (to get that instruction)?

Srila Gour Govinda Swami: Are! You are a fool!! (To think Guru passes away). Guru is always with the disciple baba. That is only apparent guru passed away. Not that guru is not there baba. Guru is always there. Yes. “I am eternally his disciple, he is eternally my Guru.” I am eternally his disciple, he is eternally my guru”. Yes Such relationship is there. It is only apparent that he passes away. But he is always with…

We have such loving relationship. Though he is not present here, he’s gone, went back home, back to Godhead, from that land, Vraja Bhumi, nitya Goloka Vrndavana, he has eye on his dear disciple, takes care. Caksu dan dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei, one who has opened my eyes, he’s my Master life after life, why not in this life?
If guru passes away… but he has eye on his dear disciple. What he does ? He takes care. He appears in the form of sadhu, sastra. In the form of sadhu and sastra he appears. Where the disciple is staying, nearby if some qualified sadhu vaisnava is there, he empowers him and he teaches through him. That guru is there yes, nitya, eternal. “I am eternally his disciple, he is eternally my master. Fools cannot understand “O no more, my guru is gone, gone. I can act anything. I can do anything.” Then you hear your stupid mind. Now you become hippy, long hair, big moustache and drinking liquor “O my Guru has passed away. No more. Prabhupada is no more.”

What happened baba, such condition ?! Fools, isn’t it ? So many Prabhupada’s disciples. Seeing them my heart cracks . . . Fools. Fools.

Guru is always there baba always there. He takes care. He takes care, yes. He has . . . If you are serious, if you are really crying for the help of guru he is always there baba, always there. “Oh my Guru has gone, I am independent now. I can act anything.” Then you have become servant of your stupid mind, go dasa, go dasa. Yes. You are not using the weapon given to you by Guru. You have lost it. Understood? Alright, thank you very much.

Then from the darshan…
Guru is there. He slaps me. Do you understand? Very well. So. Yes. Yes. If you have vision (then) you can see baba. And if you are really crying in your heart for the help of guru he is always there. Always there. Yes. Always there. But fools cannot understand it. You are fools. They cannot understand it. “Guru is gone, no more, nobody to inflict discipline on me. I am independent. I can do whatever I like.” Then you become dasa of your stupid mind. Hear the prompting of your stupid mind. Then falls down. Now he is hippy. Again hippy. . .