What is the deeper meaning behind Sai Baba's comment about eating onions in the story of the Yogi from Chapter 23?

In the context of Chapter 23, Sai Baba's comment about onions is a profound teaching tool rather than a dietary remark. When the visiting Yogi silently judges Baba for eating 'stale bread and dry onion,' he is evaluating a saint by superficial, external standards. Baba's response, 'One who has the strength to digest it may eat onion freely,' was a direct, omniscient reply to the Yogi's unspoken thought. The metaphorical 'digestion' refers to the spiritual capacity to transcend and remain unaffected by worldly things, rules, and appearances. As the story in Chapter 23 demonstrates, this statement was meant to shatter the Yogi's intellectual pride and make him realize that a true saint's state is beyond such external criteria, leading to the Yogi's eventual surrender and enlightenment.