Baba then stopped at Panchgani where, in his Tiger Valley Cave, Pleader had been staying in seclusion for several months. Baba saw him and instructed Pleader to remain there until June, and after that stated he would advise Pleader further. Baba then returned to Satara. Later, Baba said that he wished to preserve the spot where the Tiger Valley Cave was located, and if possible to buy the land, but this could not be arranged.
The following day was Good Friday. Baba and the men and women mandali observed a partial fast. After everyone had fasted for a day, Baba came once to the mandali's bungalow and oversaw the preparation of dhansak with a vegetable called sheoga . The mandali cleaned the rice and vegetable, while Baba himself cooked the dish. It was the tastiest dhansak they had ever eaten. While they were cooking, Baba, for his own reason, made Bhau wash his hands at least 20 times.
Upon his return to Satara, Baba dictated his "decision" regarding the Final Declaration, which was issued as a circular on Sunday, 10 April 1955:
“”This universe has come out of God. God has not come out of the universe. Illusion has come out of Reality. Reality has not come out of illusion. God alone is Real; the universe by itself is illusion.
God's life lived in illusion, as the Avatar and as Perfect Masters, is not illusory, whereas God's life lived in creation as all animate and inanimate beings is both real and illusory. Illusion, illusory life and God's life in illusion are not and cannot be one and the same. Illusion has no life and can have no life. Illusion is illusion, and is nothing by itself. Illusory life means life in illusion, and though it is life (as experienced by the Soul in creation), it is illusory life. But God's life lived in illusion is not illusory because, in spite of living the illusory life, God remains conscious of His own Reality.
God is absolutely independent, and the universe is entirely dependent upon God. Yet when the Perfect Masters effect the "descent" of God on Earth as the Avatar, they make Reality and illusion interdependent, each upon the other. And thus it is that His Infinite Mercy and Unbounded Love are eternally drawn upon by those who are immersed in illusion.
Between God and the universe, Infinite Mercy and Unbounded Love act as a prominent link which is eternally made use of by men who become God (Sadgurus, Perfect Masters or Qutubs), and by God Who becomes Man (Avatar, Christ, Rasool); and so the universe becomes the eternal playmate of God.
