What does the contrast between Dadasaheb Khaparde's worldly status and his behavior before Sai Baba reveal about spirituality?

The interaction between Dadasaheb Khaparde and Sai Baba illustrates the principle that spiritual realization transcends worldly intellect and status. Chapter 27 highlights that Khaparde was not an ordinary man; he was 'a very learned and prominent figure,' an 'expert in English education,' and a powerful orator in the Legislative Assembly. Yet, in the presence of Sai Baba, he observed a vow of silence, choosing only to bow his head at Baba's feet. The text notes that however brilliant the 'Word-Brahman' (intellectual or scriptural knowledge) is, 'it is dim before the Pure Brahman.' This demonstrates that Sai, as a 'brilliant form of Supreme Brahman,' embodied a spiritual truth that could humble and put to shame even the most profound worldly scholarship.