What is the primary function of the introduction to Chapter 36, and what new narrative does it set up?

The introduction to Chapter 36 serves to transition from the previous chapter's story while setting a devotional tone. It emphasizes the profound spiritual benefits of engaging with Sai Baba's life, describing his stories as the "water of self-bliss" that can remove worldly fatigue and bring happiness. After extolling Sai's divine, egoless nature, Chapter 36 promises to quench the reader's spiritual thirst with another succulent story. The text concludes its introductory section by explicitly setting up this new narrative, stating that "Two gentlemen from Goa came for Sai’s darshan."