Why did Sai Baba sometimes ask for Dakshina from one person but refuse it from another? It seems like he was being partial.

This exact question was raised by Shama after observing what he perceived as partiality. In Chapter 36, Sai Baba provides a profound explanation. He clarified that he personally has no need for wealth, stating, "What house do I have, or what family life? Why would I need wealth? I am certainly detached in every way." Baba explained that his actions were not his own but that the "Mother Masjid demands what is owed, and the giver becomes free from debt." He was merely acting as a divine instrument to help his devotees settle their karmic debts, which he noted can persist even across lifetimes.