Why did Sai Baba ask Dada Kelkar, a devout Brahmin, to buy meat on a fasting day? What was the point of this strange order?

The incident with Dada Kelkar serves as a powerful lesson on the nature of devotion and obedience to the Guru. As recounted in Chapter 38, Dada Kelkar was a respected Brahmin, perfect in his conduct and devoted to Vedic duties. On Ekadashi, a fasting day, Baba specifically ordered him to go personally and buy meat, even giving him the money for it. The text suggests this was a test of faith, as it notes that if a disciple doubts the Guru's Prasad or command, it leads to spiritual downfall. Chapter 38 concludes this section by stating that the true "Dakshina" or offering is not just wealth, but the complete performance of the Guru's order. Baba used such tests to make his devotees experience this principle directly.