Why was Amir Shakkar's stay in the Chavadi considered both a prison and a great fortune?

Amir Shakkar's nine-month stay in the Chavadi presented a powerful paradox. Externally, as Chapter 22 illustrates, it was like an imprisonment. He was confined to a single, miserable place and forbidden from even visiting the Masjid. Amir himself grew tired of the dependency and felt it was a prison. However, internally, it was a period of firm companionship with Sai, which the text calls a rare benefit that requires great fortune. This proximity allowed for automatic and effortless darshan of Baba daily, and on alternate nights, they would have calm conversations. So while his body was confined in a wretched place, his soul was enjoying an unparalleled closeness to his Guru.