What factors determined how Sai Baba bestowed grace, and how did this manifest in the surprising way he handled books brought by devotees?

The manner in which Sai Baba granted grace was not uniform but was highly personalized. As Chapter 27 explains, his method was determined by the devotee's 'authority, mental disposition, service, and the devotee's love.' His grace could be surprising, often delivered through casual joking. A prime example was the practice of devotees bringing books for his blessing. Though they hoped to receive the book back as prasad, Baba, who knew the devotee's inner state, would often give the book to someone else entirely, usually Madhavrao (Shama). He would instruct Shama to keep the copy, even as the original owners stretched their hands out eagerly, demonstrating that Baba's grace operated on a deeper level than simple transactional blessings.