Chapter 42 mentions that Baba passed away on Vijayadashami, but also that the time of departure was Ekadashi. Can you explain this apparent contradiction based on the text?

This is an excellent observation that Chapter 42 itself clarifies with precision. The chapter states that Sai Baba left his body on the day celebrated as Vijayadashami (Dussehra), which corresponds to the tenth lunar day, or Dashami tithi. It mentions the bell striking at twelve-thirty, which marked the completion of the Dashami period. However, in Hindu timekeeping, the tithi at the exact moment of an event is what is considered. Therefore, the text explicitly notes, 'Ekadashi dawned; the time of departure was Ekadashi.' This means that although the day was observed as Vijayadashami, the specific moment of Baba's Mahasamadhi occurred just as the eleventh lunar day, Ekadashi, had commenced. The chapter thus reconciles this by distinguishing between the day's festival and the exact astrological timing of the event.