Did Sai Baba see food as just physical fuel, or did it have a deeper, more spiritual meaning for him?

For Sai Baba, food held a profound spiritual significance far beyond being mere physical fuel. As explained in Chapter 32, he taught that during intense hunger, 'the realization of food as Brahman arises in the mind.' This elevates food to the level of the ultimate reality. Furthermore, the text mentions his teaching that 'Food and the eater are Vishnu's form,' equating the entire process of nourishment with the divine. His core philosophy was to 'first satisfy the soul of the self' with food, implying that caring for the physical body is a spiritual act. By fulfilling this primary need, one gains the capacity for higher spiritual pursuits, making the act of eating a foundational step toward God-realization.