What is the role of the Guru in spiritual awakening, as described in the prayer within Chapter 26?

According to Chapter 26, the Guru is paramount and indispensable for spiritual awakening. The text states that in the world, only the Guru is capable of granting the knowledge of Truth to a disciple. The prayer within the chapter is a direct appeal to the Sadguru, Sai Baba, to facilitate this process. The devotee asks the Guru to make their intellect turn inward, to bestow the ability to discriminate between the eternal and the temporary, and to instill detachment. The ultimate goal is to receive knowledge through direct experience, not just words, which is a gift that only the Guru can provide by making the disciple's mind like a clear mirror ready to receive the stamp of self-knowledge.