I've heard Baba could be very firm with his devotees. Can you provide examples from the text of his stricter teachings?

Indeed, Sai Baba could be very firm when necessary. Chapter 19 provides clear examples of this. He would appear in the dreams of those addicted to alcohol, physically pressing on their chest and limbs until they promised to stop drinking. For those secretly practicing Hatha Yoga without proper guidance, Baba would use his omniscience to call them out with a message like, "Why can't you sit still after eating your bread? Stay with patience." He also gave stern warnings, stating, "Our caste is very harsh... he who does not heed our words—then even if it's our own son, we will cut him in two and throw him away!" This shows his uncompromising stance when devotees strayed from the right path.