What details about Sai Baba's early days and difficult practices are mentioned at the beginning of Chapter 8?

The beginning of Chapter 8 recaps some key details about Sai Baba's history and spiritual discipline. It reminds the reader that Baba initially appeared in Shirdi as a young lad and was later perceived as a "mad fakir." The text highlights his transformative effect on the village, turning a barren wasteland into a garden where a wada was later built. Most notably, this chapter specifically calls out Baba's intense yogic practices, identifying them as Dhauti, Poti, and Khanda-yoga. It emphasizes that Baba endured many hardships by "wearing out his own body" through these austerities, portraying him as a selfless protector of his devotees.