“”The state of helplessness increases day by day, and when it becomes limitless helplessness, it is turned into All-powerfulness. Here God consciously forgets Himself as the limited individuality and experiences infinite existence, power and bliss. This is All-powerfulness.
From Poona, Sarosh's driver Ismail drove Baba to Mahabaleshwar on Easter Sunday, 6 April 1947, at 6:30 in the evening.
In March, before going to Madras, Baba had informed the mandali of the next phase of his seclusion work:
“”"I want to work in the forts connected with Shivaji; arrangements should be made for this."
Locations had been scouted out and their facilities reported to Baba.
On 8 April, Sarosh came to Mahabaleshwar in his car and drove Baba, Eruch, Gustadji and a servant named Mohammed to Poona, where they spent the night at Bindra House. The next morning they left for Purandhar , a fortress on a hill 24 miles from Poona. Baidul brought the mast Ali Shah from Ahmednagar on the 10th, and Pendu and Sidhu came from Meherabad, as instructed.
Baba remained at Purandhar for ten days. He worked with Ali Shah for three hours daily and sat alone in seclusion in the fort for an hour each day. Pendu, Eruch, Sidhu and Baidul kept watch on all four sides to ensure that not the least noise or disturbance occurred during Baba's work.
After Baba would come out of seclusion, Sidhu would entertain him by singing ghazals with exaggerated gestures and expressions.
“”Baba enjoyed it and remarked, "His pantomimes lessen my burden!"
One day when Sidhu was on watch, a local boy named Shelke brought a letter from the post office. Baba signaled to the boy to come inside his room. He dictated to him for a few minutes, using the alphabet board, before sending him away.
“”Baba then sent for Sidhu, whom he upbraided: "You were ordered not to allow anyone to enter my room. Why did you permit Shelke to come inside?"
"Baba, you yourself called him in," Sidhu pointed out.
“”"This won't do! Don't make excuses," Baba scolded. "You are at fault, and there is only one way you can be forgiven. I will bow down to you."
Baba laid his head on Sidhu's feet and thus forgave him. What the purpose of this divine pretext was, no one has any real idea. Baba had his own particular reason for bowing down to Sidhu, and to bring it about, any pretense was sufficient.
