Why did Baba appear as a different Fakir to Appasaheb or use another saint to collect a Rupee from Karnik? Why the indirect approach?

Chapter 33 illustrates that Sai Baba's methods were often indirect to test his devotees and impart deeper spiritual lessons. For Appasaheb, Baba appeared as a strange Fakir as a "pretext for Dakshina," which served to test Appasaheb's resolve and overcome his suspicion. The scripture itself asks, "what flavor would come to the story?" without such a pretext, suggesting the divine play makes the lesson more profound. Similarly, with Karnik, having the saint Narsing Maharaj forcibly demand the Rupee created a powerful and unforgettable experience, making Karnik feel as if Sai himself was acting through the saint. These indirect methods served to strengthen faith, test conviction, and create teaching parables for all devotees, showing that Sai is capable of granting the fruits of devotion in many mysterious ways.