How can one reconcile Sai Baba's status as a desireless saint with his constant requests for money?

Chapter 14 directly addresses the potential doubt that arises from a desireless saint asking for money. It poses the question of why one to whom pebbles and diamonds are of the same value would stretch out his hand for offerings. The text explains that this apparent contradiction is resolved when one understands the underlying purpose. Sai Baba's requests for Dakshina were not for personal gain but served as a spiritual tool. The act of giving was a lesson in detachment and humility for the devotee, making the transaction a pretext for their spiritual development rather than an acquisition of wealth for the saint.