Based on the provided text, what role did Sai Baba believe a Guru should play in a devotee's suffering from past karma?

Based on Sai Baba's interaction with Dr. Pillay in Chapter 34, a Guru's role is not to erase a devotee's karmic debt but to help them endure and exhaust it. When Dr. Pillay suffered, Baba didn't simply remove the ailment. Instead, he corrected Dr. Pillay's desire for death, calling it a "calamity" when liberation was possible. Baba's solution was to share the karmic load: "Let us suffer the consequence of only ten days by dividing it between us." This act shows that the Guru provides solace, courage, and a path to mitigate the intensity and duration of the suffering. The Guru helps the devotee face their Prarabdha with fortitude rather than providing an escape, ultimately fixing their attention on service and spiritual growth.