Crossing an aqueduct, they began climbing through a thicket and overgrown shrubs for two hours, once again trekking on their hands and knees. No one was visible in this jungle-like terrain as they climbed one hill after another. Baba walked so quickly it was difficult for the men to keep pace. Adi nearly sprained his ankle twice, slipping on some slick boulders in their path.

They had not been able to find a suitable place, when suddenly Baba pointed to a deep valley up ahead and motioned, "The valley is filled with spirits who are welcoming me!" He started running and the mandali followed. For an hour, Baba led them on a breathless march around the valley and to the top of a third hill.

He remarked, "Although my seclusion is more important, I must heed the call of these disembodied souls." The purpose was served by Baba's presence there, and he then returned to the second hill where he selected a spot to sit in seclusion.

At one point, Baba explained, "The purpose of my seclusion is to gather the forces of good to swing the balance of humanity's fate, and sow the seed for a certain direction the war must take."

Baba also, once again, strongly hinted that he was about to break his silence. He sat down in a corner, leaning against a rock, his face glowing resplendently. He instructed Baidul, Kaka, Gustadji and Adi Sr., "Sit at a distance of 50 yards away from me, each at one corner, and don't look at me until I clap."

His seclusion began at 9:50 A.M. The mandali were exhilarated as they thought to themselves: "How fortunate we are that Baba is about to break his silence! Out of all the mandali, only we four were selected to hear him!"

After 55 minutes, at 10:45 A.M., Baba clapped and the mandali approached him. "After all these years," they thought, "what will Baba's first words be?" But Baba did not utter a sound and motioned it was time to go. Baidul collected some of the soil on which Baba had sat in seclusion, and preserved it in a box. Baba had now sat in seclusion near the Himalayas in seven such spots.

The next day, Baba began fasting in Kathgodam on milkless tea taken three times a day. He continued to sit alone in his room working for at least an hour each day with Uderman Mastan.