Why does the author of Sai Satcharitra offer salutations to Goddess Saraswati in Chapter 1?

The author offers salutations to Goddess Saraswati in Chapter 1 because her grace is considered absolutely essential for creating any literary work. She is revered as the Goddess of Speech and Mother of the World, and the author questions how the book could possibly be written without her blessing. Described as holding the Brahma-veena and riding a swan, she is a 'wave of cleverness.' The author prays for her to make him an instrument to 'feed the nectar of the life of the capable Sai to everyone.' As with Ganesha, the chapter draws a parallel, stating that Sai himself is Goddess Saraswati, singing his own life story for the salvation of his devotees.