Many spiritual seekers who visited Shirdi practiced austerities. How did Baba's philosophy on food and self-denial contrast with these traditional approaches?

While people from all walks of life, including sannyasis and those who performed japa and austerities, came for Sai Baba's darshan, his own philosophy stood in contrast to traditional self-denial. Chapter 32 reveals that Baba saw little value in fasting. He taught that a mind agitated by hunger cannot be at peace, which is a prerequisite for spiritual progress. He believed God is not found on an empty stomach and that the senses need strength from food to function in service of devotion. Unlike paths that emphasize physical deprivation, Baba's approach, as described in the text, was to avoid both excessive fasting, which he called 'terrible,' and excessive eating, promoting comfortable, moderate eating as the foundation for spiritual practice.