How did Sai Baba use his personal experience of discipleship to illustrate the qualities necessary for spiritual progress?

Sai Baba shared a profound personal story from his own discipleship to teach a lesson on spiritual readiness. As recounted in Chapter 19, he served his Guru for twelve years, filled with an intense desire to receive a secret mantra. However, he learned that what his Guru truly expected was not just service but the cultivation of inner virtues. The Guru asked for 'two paise', which Baba revealed to be 'Faith' (Nishtha) and 'Patience' (Saburi). By sharing that his constant, loving gaze upon his Guru made him forget hunger and thirst, Baba exemplified the state of complete faith and devotion. He used the analogy of a gem versus a stone being polished to show that while the process may be the same, a disciple with the inherent qualities of faith and patience will shine brilliantly, unlike one without.