Why did Sai Baba advocate for mantra chanting and devotion when he considered Knowledge to be the greatest path?

While Baba preached that Knowledge (Jnana) is the greatest of all spiritual paths, he recognized its difficulty for the common person. Chapter 19 explains this using an analogy: the path of Knowledge is like a Ramphal fruit, which is superior but requires immense patience to ripen properly on the tree. In contrast, the path of Devotion (Bhakti) is like a Sitaphal (custard apple)—an easy, juicy, and sweet means. Therefore, as Chapter 19 states, Sai, the 'Cloud of Mercy,' mostly explained Devotion and the chanting of the Name (Namasmaran) to his disciples as a more accessible means to break the bonds of worldly existence and find spiritual solace.