How is Sai Baba's ultimate identity described, and was his influence confined only to the village of Shirdi?

Sai Baba's identity is described in the most supreme terms within Chapter 4, where it is stated, "Sai is our Supreme Brahman, Sai is our ultimate goal." He is equated with divine figures like Krishna and Rama and is seen as the embodiment of the "joy of the Self." While Shirdi was the center of his activities, his influence was far from confined to that village. The text explicitly notes that Baba's field of influence was vast, stretching across "Punjab, Calcutta, Hindustan, Gujarat, Deccan, and Kanara." The flags flying over the mansions in Shirdi were said to be beckoning devotees from all these regions, confirming that his greatness and fame had spread from village to village across the country.