How did Sai Baba view the practice of fasting, and what was his reasoning for this perspective?

Sai Baba did not support the practice of fasting for spiritual gain. As explained in Chapter 32, Baba himself never fasted and he would not allow others to fast either. His core reasoning was that a fasting person's mind is not peaceful, and without a peaceful mind, no spiritual benefit can be achieved. The text states that God is not attained on an empty stomach and that one must first satisfy the soul of the self. Baba considered excessive fasting to be terrible and a cause of continuous discomfort, directly contrasting with his advocacy for moderate eating as the comfortable path to both physical and spiritual well-being.