The texts mention that Sai Baba would ask for exorbitant amounts of Dakshina, even telling people to take loans. How is this reconciled with his identity as a saint, and what was the intended lesson?

The practice of asking for large sums of Dakshina, even to the point of telling devotees to secure a loan, was not for personal enrichment but was a profound teaching method. As Chapter 14 explains, Baba would say to His devotees, "Do not worry even a little bit; I will give you bags of rupees; sit peacefully near Me." This indicates the transaction was not material but spiritual. The core lesson was about detachment and humility. By pushing devotees beyond their comfort zones with money, He was testing their faith and helping them overcome their attachment to wealth. The act of asking was a pretext, a skillful means to teach them to choose humility and trust in His divine providence, reinforcing that He gives a hundred qualities in return for one.