Ratanji came to Shirdi believing Baba protects from 'great calamity.' What happened when he met Baba?

When Ratanji came to Shirdi, he did so with the firm belief that Sai Baba protects His devotees from great calamity, as he had heard this from others. Upon meeting Baba in the Masjid, as described in Chapter 14, he offered a garland and fruits with great reverence. However, the interaction immediately pivoted to Baba's characteristic spiritual lesson. Baba's first words to him were a request for Dakshina, asking what offering he would give. This encounter illustrates that while devotees came seeking protection or solutions to worldly problems, Baba often responded with a lesson aimed at their spiritual growth, in this case, the lesson of giving and humility inherent in the act of Dakshina.