Why did Sai Baba refuse to give a secret mantra to the woman who asked him?

Sai Baba explained his inability to provide a secret mantra by sharing the story of his own discipleship, found in Chapter 19. He tells the woman that despite serving his own Guru for twelve years with a strong desire for a mantra, his Guru never gave him one. Instead, his Guru's grace was conveyed through a powerful, loving gaze that provided all necessary spiritual nourishment, similar to how a mother tortoise nurtures her young from afar. Baba states, "my Guru did not blow any mantra into my ears, so how can I blow one into yours?" He taught that the real spiritual transmission comes from the Guru's grace and the disciple's focused attention, not from a secret word. He advised the woman to simply "pay attention to me," and spiritual wealth would follow.