Chapter 43 draws a clear distinction between the passing of a yogi and the death of an ordinary person. It notes that worldly afflictions like fever do not trouble yogis and that saints, like Sai Baba, ignite their own light to burn their own bodies in a process they control themselves. Despite this enlightened departure, the emotional impact on the community was profound. As Chapter 43 describes, with Sai's body lying motionless, a great lamentation arose among the villagers. Both children and elders were filled with anxiety, feeling as though it were the end of life for everyone. They became "poor and miserable" without Sai, who was the "soul and breath of all."
How does Chapter 43 contrast the passing of a saint with the experiences of ordinary people, and what was the emotional impact of Sai's departure on the villagers?
๐ Chapter 43