What happened to Kashiram when he was attacked by thieves, and how was Sai Maharaj involved?

Kashiram was attacked by thieves who wanted a bundle he carried, which contained powdered sugar for feeding ants. In the ensuing fight, Kashiram killed two thieves with a dropped sword but was then struck in the head with an axe and left unconscious. As Chapter 0 explains, he was brought to Shirdi instead of a hospital due to his immense faith. There, Madhavrao Deshpande treated him under Maharaj's instructions, and he recovered. At the exact time of the attack, Maharaj was in Shirdi, shouting and showing great agitation. Devotees understood this as his way of remotely protecting a devotee from grave danger, which is exactly what was happening to Kashiram.