Was the author actually a child when he met Sai Baba? The text uses the metaphor of a mother caring for a child who doesn't understand things.

The author was not a child when the events described in Chapter 3 took place; he was an adult whose government service had just concluded in 1916. The text uses the analogy of a mother and child as a powerful metaphor to explain the nature of a Sadguru's grace. Just as a mother selflessly feeds her child without the child understanding her efforts, Sai Baba provides for His devotees out of pure, unconditional love. The author employs this imagery, as described in Chapter 3, to illustrate that a devotee may not fully comprehend the ways of the Guru, but can trust in that boundless, motherly affection and care.