How did Sai Baba reconcile his all-pervading, formless nature with his physical presence in Shirdi?

Sai Baba explained this apparent contradiction by clarifying his universal nature. As detailed in Chapter 19, he stated, 'I am pervaded in light and sky; I am not limited to one place.' He is present in water, land, wood, and all people. He then explained that he took on a physical form specifically for the benefit of those devotees who found it difficult to grasp his formless, all-pervading essence. Chapter 19 quotes him saying, 'Those who consider me to be limited to this body of three and a half cubits—to make them free from doubt, I have taken form.' His physical body was an act of grace to help devotees overcome doubt and connect with him.