What was Sai Baba's personal practice and opinion regarding fasting?

Sai Baba's personal stance on fasting was quite clear: he himself never remained fasting and would not let anyone else do so either. As described in Chapter 32, he believed that the mind of a person who is fasting cannot be peaceful, which negates any potential spiritual benefit. His teaching was that God is not attained on an empty stomach and that one must first satisfy the needs of the self. This philosophy is highlighted by the statement that with Sai, the trouble of fasting and penance simply did not work.