What is the deeper spiritual significance of Sai Baba giving Udi to his followers?

The act of giving Udi holds a profound spiritual meaning, as explained in Chapter 33. Udi symbolizes the transient and perishable nature of the physical body. By giving the ash, Baba reminded his devotees that the body, like ash, is temporary and will eventually fall, just as water rolls off a lotus leaf. This act served as a lesson to renounce pride in one's physical form. The text further elaborates that this worldly life itself is like Udi, and contemplating this helps one realize the falsity of the world and the truth that lies beyond name and form.