Why did Sai Baba ask for Dakshina, even from the poor or telling people to take out loans? It seems contradictory for a desireless saint.

The practice of asking for Dakshina was a key teaching method for Sai Baba, designed to cultivate virtues in his devotees. Chapter 14 explains that the essence of this practice was to teach humility. Baba would send even great millionaires to beg from the poor, breaking down the ego and distinctions between wealthy and destitute. The text acknowledges the potential doubt, asking, "Why does a saint need money?" The answer lies not in the money itself, but in the act of giving. For Baba, to whom pebbles and diamonds were of the same value, the request for Dakshina was a pretext to help his followers detach from wealth and embrace humility, thereby bringing them closer to spiritual fulfillment.