What was Sai Baba's core principle regarding the role of food in a devotee's life?

Sai Baba's fundamental principle, as detailed in Chapter 32, was that physical well-being through adequate food is the necessary foundation for any spiritual practice. He taught that one must "first satisfy the soul of the self" before one can realize God. His practical advice was that one should first eat, because without food, the soul cannot find peace, and God-realization becomes impossible. This philosophy rejected traditional asceticism, arguing that a fasting person's mind is not peaceful. He believed the trouble of fasting and penance did not work in his court, instead viewing moderate eating as the proper way to maintain the body's strength for devotion.