What was the spiritual lesson behind Sai Baba causing his devotee Kashiram to experience financial hardship?

The financial hardship Kashiram faced was a deliberate 'Leela' by Maharaj to remove a spiritual obstacle. Chapter 0 explains that Kashiram had developed pride in his ability to give Dakshina, feeling hurt if his offering was not taken. Maharaj recognized this pride as a hindrance to spiritual progress. Therefore, he began demanding more and more Dakshina, forcing Kashiram to deplete his savings and even borrow from a grocer. This experience was designed to make Kashiram realize that he did not possess the 'power to give' and to dissolve his ego. Once this lesson was learned, his prosperity returned.