My Dear Devotees,

Jaya Srila Prabhupada. As you know, I have tried to simplify my life so that I can focus on a most important service to Srila Prabhupada: writing. I have tried to balance this service with other important services, such as traveling and preaching, hosting devotees and maintaining communication with devotees through email, phone and Skype. The life of every devotee is invaluable and thus I have tried through these means to help the devotees as much as I could.

However, Lord Krishna has shown me that in order to successfully complete my writing service, and thus maintain a healthy balance in my services, I must take more serious steps so that during the time that I am writing, I can exclusively focus on that service. Till now, the tendency has been that even during my “writing time,” I spend so much time counseling devotees that I am unable to complete my books.

I know that completing these books is ultimately the best service I can do for all of you, and my knowledge that you support me in this effort gives me great encouragement in my service. Thus, in order to balance my services, I must now take a ‘sabbatical’. I will go into seclusion with only a few devotees to assist me, until a certain amount of writing has been done. During that time, I will not be available by phone, email, Skype etc. I will make exceptions for genuine emergencies, however I will be strict in defining an ’emergency.’

I humbly request you to accept that I really have no other choice. I cannot bear to think of leaving this world without offering Srila Prabhupada these books, and I cannot do this service unless I adopt these measures. Please know that my sincere disciples and friends are always in my heart and that your support gives me the strength to do this for Srila Prabhupada and for the good of this unfortunate world.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
May 3, 2010