Baba's declaration gave rise to a serious atmosphere in the pandal, during which he asked Harry Kenmore to recite the Prayer of Repentance.
"You should all pay attention to this prayer in my presence," Baba urged. "I want you to forget and forgive everything of the past and start a new chapter in life!"
Everyone stood as the prayer was recited. At its conclusion, Baba made a beautiful gesture as if taking away the load and burden of his lovers' collective past. Then, for the first time in many years, he allowed the men mandali to come and place their forehead on his feet, one by one. Like others, when Bhau's turn came to bow down, tears spontaneously welled up in his eyes. Baba had remarked he would open the gate of his Heart a little during this gathering and release some of his love, and this was the cause of Bhau's tears.
Baba announced, "If I finish giving my darshan to the public, you may all bow down to me. If not, you can all go home thinking you have taken my darshan, which you have had for the last four days."
Sadashiv Patil was standing in one corner of the platform distributing prasad that Baba had touched. One candy was given to each of the mandali. It was 2:00 P.M., and long lines of people were standing in the hot sun waiting to be allowed inside for darshan. After the mandali finished taking darshan, the public was allowed to enter. People from all walks of life, men and women separately, began filing past the Divine Beloved in form. After each had placed their head on Baba's feet, they were hurried along as the Poona bhajan group sang. In small ways, those who came for darshan expressed their love and faith. Some brought garlands, others flowers, fruit or coconuts. Some of the Westerners (including Brynar Mehl) and Easterners took pictures; Aneece Hassen (one of Ivy Duce's Sufis who was meeting Baba for the first time), Liz Sacalis, Beheram, Jehangu, and a few others took films.
Baba commented, "I am in the least one of them and in every one of you. No one is low and no one high in my nazar. Because God is One, I am One, you are all One. There is no difference of tall or short, man or woman, beautiful or ugly, rich or poor. All are one in my nazar."