Why did Sai Baba refuse to give a 'mantra' to the devotee, and what did he offer her instead?

Sai Baba explained his refusal to give the devotee a mantra by recounting his own experience with his Guru. As detailed in Chapter 19, Baba served his own master for twelve years, yet his Guru never whispered a secret mantra into his ear. His Guru's nurturing came through a loving gaze, much like a mother tortoise feeds her young with sight alone. Therefore, Baba tells the devotee, 'my Guru did not blow any mantra into my ears, so how can I blow one into yours?' Instead of a verbal instruction, he offered her something more profound: his direct attention and protection. He assured her that if she would just 'pay attention' to him, spiritual wealth would naturally come into her hands, rendering a formal mantra unnecessary.