What was Sai Baba's specific stance on fasting as a spiritual practice?

Sai Baba was explicitly against fasting as a means for spiritual attainment. As detailed in Chapter 32, he himself never fasted and would not permit his devotees to do so either. His core teaching was that the mind of a fasting person lacks peace, which is essential for any spiritual progress. He believed that God cannot be attained on an empty stomach and that one must first satisfy the needs of the body to enable devotion. The text recounts the story of Mrs. Gokhale, who came to Shirdi with the firm intention of fasting for three days, a resolve that was completely contrary to Baba's principles. Baba's philosophy emphasized that the 'trouble of fasting and penance' was not the way to find God in his court.