Why did Sai Baba, a powerful Siddha, resort to begging for food?

The practice of begging was entirely appropriate for Sai Baba's conduct and spiritual status, as detailed in Chapter 9. Baba was not a householder or a forest-dweller; he was a pure celibate and a sanyasi from childhood, for whom begging was commendable. Furthermore, Baba embodied the firm realization that 'The whole universe is my home.' The text states that only a 'universal family member' who has renounced desires for sons, wealth, and fame has the true right to live on alms. His begging also served a purpose for devotees, giving them an opportunity to fulfill their own householder duty of giving food to ascetics, thereby achieving their own welfare.