If Sai Baba is the form of the Soul itself and free from desire, why does he insist that Hemadpant perform 'my service'? Doesn't asking for service imply a desire for it?

This apparent paradox is addressed directly in Baba's discourse as recorded in Chapter 3. After stating that Annasaheb should perform His service, Baba clarifies the nature of this worship. He distinguishes between His perishable body and the imperishable Brahman, which is the true object of worship. He explains that He is the all-pervading Self, the eightfold nature (Ashtadha-prakriti), in whom there is no room for desire. The text suggests that the 'service' is not for Baba's personal gratification but is a path for the devotee. Baba states, "By remaining devoted to me with feeling, his calamities will be removed." Therefore, the service is a means for the devotee's own spiritual purification and attainment, not a fulfillment of a desire from Sai, who is the form of the Soul itself.