Suddhananda: Dear friends, namaste. The simple truth is I accept full responsibility for everything that has happened/alleged in the last few weeks and I ask for FORGIVENESS and offer my sincere and heartfelt APOLOGIES to everyone and anyone who has come in touch with me in the past and has felt hurt with the recent developments.

Arunachalam and Laxmi in the first place came with the sincere intent only to serve the Knowledge. They gave their best of their time and life for it. They served it well. Somewhere down the line they were hurt, disappointed and disillusioned.

Ben and Susan are a wonderful couple who gave their love, time and resources for promoting the Self Knowledge, as even many others, including Venu and Radha who came around to appreciate and help spread the Knowledge, and there was always affection and adoration.

I still remember in the eyes of all these people their sincerity and adoration for me and for the Knowledge. But, somewhere down the line, they did lose that love and respect for me as an individual and are hurt and disappointed by a PERSON that I had BEEN.

At this moment, if you are hurt and disappointed with my personal behavior or life, and now that has affected many directly or indirectly, I TAKE THE WHOLE RESPONSIBILITY.

This morning when I saw Ganeshan, a 70- to 80-year-old man in the Ashram who has been here in Tiruvannamalai for 30 years with me, and when I see all the workers around in the field, I remember the innocent growing children in the schools and the people going about their lives with the faith in whatever tradition, I felt so belittled and stupid that I should be responsible by any act of commission or omission for disturbing the whole harmony and so many lives. Nobody deserves it.

I again request all people named and unnamed to accept this, seeking of your understanding for me from deep within your hearts to be kind and compassionate to remove the hurt not only from your hearts, but also from all those who have been affected.

I have discussed with all the Trustees and the dedicated student-workers of the institutions run by the Trusts and I have resigned from the Board of all the Trusts, Samvit Sagar Trust, Akshar Education Trust and also the Thapasvini Trust – and I shall no longer be connected with any of the Trust affairs in any manner. On my side I wish to spend some time in total isolation and lead a totally transparent ife.

My sincere wish is, in accepting this unconditional apology, may everybody find peace in their own hearts. With God’s grace, may peace prevail!

~ Swami Suddhananda