The journey in Saharanpur came to an end when the group returned to Dehra Dun in the afternoon. Pendu and the others also arrived from Muzaffarnagar. Coincidentally, the Russian dictator Joseph Stalin died the next day, 7 March, in Moscow. He had been head of the U.S.S.R. since 1924.
Baba had intended to go to Kashmir also for his work, but he now "indefinitely postponed" going. Don had applied to the Ahmednagar police for a permit to go there, but now joined the group in Dehra Dun.
Back in Dehra Dun, while conversing with the mandali one day, Baba explained to Kishan Singh, using the metaphor of a train:
"To a freight train are attached many wagons. Some contain good material, some bad — iron, copper, oil, waste products, et cetera — in different wagons. But, whether it is good material or bad, when attached to the engine the carriages go where the engine goes. The engine does not carry wagons of only good things, leaving the bad behind. Similarly, I am like an engine, and those who remain attached to me reach their destination, whether they be virtuous or vicious."
Keki Nalavala asked, "But how do we remain attached to you?"
Baba replied, "The meaning of remaining attached to me is to follow my wishes, to remember me and to forget your selves."
Kumar said, "This is an impossible thing, Baba! This type of joining depends on your grace."
Baba replied, "If you try, you will be deserving of my grace. I am the Infinite Ocean of Mercy and to shower mercy is my nature. If you throw sandalwood or filth in the ocean, does it have any effect on it?"
"No," Kumar said.
"Why not?"
"There is an abundance of fresh water in the ocean and it does not give out fragrance if roses are thrown in it, or stink if garbage is dumped in," Kumar replied.
Baba stated, "The ocean absorbs within itself heaps of sandalwood or refuse, good things or bad, as it is unlimited. Similarly, if you 'throw' your good and bad actions upon me, absorbing them, I will free you from all bindings. But the meaning of throwing or dedicating to me is that you should thereafter completely forget such actions, because to remember them is not true dedication."
On Friday, 13 March 1953, Baba explained about the farce of illusion and the evolution of opposites:
The nature of evolution is of opposites. Never before was the world divided into two blocks of opposites — America on one side with its allies, and Russia on the other with its satellites. This is what Masters have worked out. They know how to do it.