Why did Baba's devotees feel so much regret and repentance after he left?

The devotees felt immense repentance because they believed their own actions contributed to Baba leaving them. Chapter 43 expresses their sorrow, stating, "We did not bring this saying of Baba’s to mind; we fought as much as we liked. By harassing devotee after devotee, we lost Sainath." They recalled Baba's teaching, "It is not good to harass anyone; that gives me pain," and realized they had failed to live by it. This failure made them feel that the compassionate friend who was right there with them had become distant, and they felt a terrible sense of karmic loss and pain over their behavior.