Why is the Shri Sai Satcharita considered a highly reliable account of Sai Baba's leelas?

The reliability of the Shri Sai Satcharita stems from the author's methodology, as detailed in Chapter 0. Unlike some older texts where the source of information might be oral tradition, the author of the Satcharita, Annasaheb, was a direct participant and observer. The text explicitly states that many of the stories and leelas described were seen by Annasaheb with his own eyes. For the events he did not witness, he relied on firsthand accounts from other devotees who had personal experiences with Baba, either in person or in dreams. The fact that many of these devotees were still alive when the book was written adds to its credibility, as Annasaheb was merely giving a poetic form to these verified experiences.