What happened when a devotee like Ratanji approached Baba for help with a great calamity?

Chapter 14 describes the experience of Ratanji, who came to Shirdi seeking protection from a great calamity. Upon meeting Sai Baba, Ratanji prostrated, offered a flower garland and fruits, and humbly prayed for protection, expressing his faith that Baba helps those in distress. However, Baba's immediate response was not to address the calamity directly but to ask, "You have come today; what Dakshina (offering) will you give Me?" This illustrates a common pattern where, regardless of a person's reason for visiting, Baba's first interaction would often be to request an offering, a practice he extended to every visitor, be they Hindu, Muslim, or Parsi.