Based on Chapter 26, what is the role and importance of the Guru in achieving spiritual knowledge?

Chapter 26 of the Sai Satcharitra emphasizes that the Guru is indispensable for spiritual realization. The text states unequivocally that in the world, only the Guru is capable of granting the knowledge of Truth to a disciple. This knowledge is what dispels the illusion of the material world, an event that occurs when the time for awakening through the Guru’s word arrives. The author makes a heartfelt prayer to Sai Baba, the Sadguru, to turn his intellect inward and grant him discrimination between the eternal and the temporary. The Guru is portrayed as the sole guide who can destroy sorrow and provide the true knowledge that leads to liberation.