For a devotee leaving Shirdi, what was the process and meaning of receiving Udi from Baba?

Receiving Udi was an integral part of the process for a devotee taking leave from Shirdi. Chapter 33 of the Shri Sai Satcharita states that when devotees asked for permission to return to their villages, Baba's true consent was conveyed when he said, "Take the Udi." This act would fill the devotee's mind with enthusiasm for their journey. The Udi itself served as a final teaching, a reminder that "we came naked and will go naked" and that worldly attachments like family are temporary. This practice underscored the lesson of renunciation and the transient nature of existence, removing physical and mental afflictions through its profound philosophical meaning.