Inauguration Speech

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Tilak Niriha Maharaj
Tarakeshwar, 3 May 2022, Aksaya-Tritiya
Translated from Bengali

মূকং করোতি বাচালং পঙ্গুং লঙ্ঘয়তে গিরিম্ ।
যৎকৃপা তমহং বন্দে শ্রীগুরুং দীনতারণম্ ॥

mukam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim
yat krpa tam aham vande sri-gurum dina-taranam

"The dumb can speak, the lame can climb a hill—all it takes is mercy from Gurudev."

(Bhavartha Dipika)

ওঁ অজ্ঞানতিমিরান্ধস্য জ্ঞানাঞ্জনশলাকয়া ।
চক্ষুরুন্মিলিতং যেন তস্মৈ শ্রীগুরবে নমঃ ॥

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
chaksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

'I offer my obeisance unto Sri Gurudev, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, applying divine knowledge on my eyes.'

পূজ্য-শ্রীগুরুবর্গ-বন্দিত-মহাভাবান্বিতায়া সদা
পৌর্বাপর্য্য পরম্পরা-প্রচলিত-প্রাজ্য প্রমূর্ত্তাকৃতেঃ ।
ভক্তের্নির্ম্মল-নির্ঝরস্য নিভৃতং সংরক্ষকং সাদরম্
বন্দে শ্রীগুরুদেবম্ আনত-শিরা আচার্য্য-বর্য্যং নিজম্ ॥

pujya-sri-guru-varga-vandita-mahabhavanvitayah sada
paurvaparya-parampara-prachalita-prajya-pramurtakrteh
bhakter nirmala-nirjharasya nibhrtam samraksakam sadaram
vande sri-gurudevam anata-sira acharya-varyam nijam

"I bow my head in eternal obeisance to my Gurudev, the best of acharyas, Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. He is the ever vigilant, stalwart guardian of the current of pure devotion whose highest form flows from our most worshippable Sri Rupanuga Guru-varga in their exclusive dedication to Mahabhav, Srimati Radharani."

বাঞ্ছাকল্পতরুভ্যশ্চ কৃপাসিন্ধুভ্য এব চ ।
পতিতানাং পাবনেভ্যো বৈষ্ণবেভ্যো নমো নমঃ ॥

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

"Again and again I offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord's devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy, and wish-fulfilling trees."

First of all, I offer my prostrate obeisance to my Gurupadpadma Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj's holy lotus feet, praying to him for his causeless mercy and an opportunity to serve him. After that, I offer my prostrate obeisance to all my Param Guru-varga, all my godbrothers, and all the devotees. Please forgive my mistakes and shortcomings.

I do not have any qualification to become an acharya. When Gurudev disappeared one year ago, many told me to take this responsibility, but I always think I am unfit, so I ignored those requests, "I will not be able to become the acharya, I do not have any qualification for that." Nevertheless, all the chaste followers of Gurudev and our Math's senior Param Guru-varga said, "If you do not accept the responsibility for our Math, then your Gurudev's preaching mission will stop." That is why, I have accepted this responsibility on their request, but if you do not give me your mercy, it is impossible for me to carry this burden of responsibility properly because it is impossible for anyone to be rescued without service to Vaishnavs. It is written in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita:

ভক্তপাদধূলি আর ভক্তপাদ-জল ।
ভক্তভুক্ত-শেষ তিন সাধনের বল ॥

bhakta-pada-dhuli ara bhakta-pada-jala
bhakta-bhukta-sesa—ei tina sadhanera bala

"The dust of the devotees' feet, the water that has washed the devotees' feet, and the remnants of devotees' food—these three are the sole strength of one's spiritual life."

Without the water that has washed Vaishnavs' feet, without Vaishnavs' remnants and without Vaishnavs' feet dust, we cannot even have any spiritual life. Therefore, I am begging you all for your mercy so that my faith for Vaishnavs and Gurudev increases. Please give me your mercy so that I can continue serving my Gurudev properly and so that I can love all the devotees. This is my mercy-request to you all. Please give me your mercy so that I can please my Gurudev.

Gurudev always extolled service to Vaishnavs. He often told me, "If you cannot serve Vaishnavs properly, then you can never get devotion." Nobody can attain devotion without service to Vaishnavs. If we cannot please our Gurudev, Krishna will never be pleased. Krishna said, "Those who say they are My devotees are not My devotees. My devotees are the devotees of My devotees." If I cannot become a devotee of Vaishnavs and Gurudev, then I can never become a devotee of Krishna.

Saying this, I am praying to you all for your blessing so that I can continue Gurudev's service properly. This is my prayer to your holy feet.

বাঞ্ছাকল্পতরুভ্যশ্চ কৃপাসিন্ধুভ্য এব চ ।
পতিতানাং পাবনেভ্যো বৈষ্ণবেভ্যো নমো নমঃ ॥

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

"Again and again I offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord's devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy, and wish-fulfilling trees."

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