Was the only point of reading the holy books in Shirdi just a daily chore without any deeper purpose?

This is incorrect; the readings were imbued with profound spiritual purpose and were a key method through which Baba bestowed his grace. Chapter 18 describes the Nath Bhagawat as a 'very divinely inspired book' for the 'salvation of souls,' which Baba had read out of a 'desire for the welfare of the devotees.' A miraculous aspect of this practice was that stories Baba told in the Masjid would often coincide with the passage being read in the Wada, giving listeners confirmation and deeper understanding. The texts were considered the 'platform for the highest spiritual goal,' far from being a mundane chore. Baba’s own insistence that a devotee finish a reading underscores its supreme importance.