Baba talks about serving his own Guru for many years. What did his Guru actually want from him, if not a secret mantra?

Despite serving his Guru for twelve years with the strong desire for a secret mantra, Sai Baba reveals that his Guru's expectations were entirely different. As recounted in Chapter 19, the Guru never gave him a verbal instruction or 'ear-mantra'. Instead, what the Guru desired was Baba's complete and loving attention. Baba describes this state of devotion: "I would gaze at my Guru's face with love day and night; I felt neither hunger nor thirst; without the Guru, my mind was restless." He concludes that this constant, loving contemplation was all his Guru expected, stating, "he desired nothing more than this." The Guru's role was to provide protection and love, which he did through his "merciful glance," proving that the deepest spiritual connection transcends the need for formal instructions.