Why is Guru's grace considered so essential in Chapter 32?

Chapter 32 places immense importance on the grace of a Guru. The text explicitly states that even if one has exhaustively studied the Vedas, Vedangas, and other scriptures, all that knowledge is considered 'mere chaff' without the Guru's grace. True knowledge is unattainable without it. The chapter emphasizes this by preparing the reader for a story told by Sai Baba himself about his own Guru-darshan. It suggests that listening to the words from Maharaj Sai's mouth can destroy sins and afflictions and, most importantly, cause one to see one's own Guru, which is the ultimate key to navigating the perishable tree of worldly existence.