Why should I trust these stories when the narrator opens Chapter 36 by admitting their own lack of authority, saying 'What authority do I have?'

Chapter 36 addresses this very point by immediately following the author's expression of humility with a crucial clarification. The text states, "Enough of this 'I-ness' (ego) of the speaker; the playful Sai himself takes over and makes his own qualities heard by his devotees through someone." This suggests that the author's credibility comes not from personal authority, but from being a divine instrument. The passage posits that Sai Baba himself is the true source of the stories, and he "loves his own stories very much," making the author and listener mere pretexts to fulfill the spiritual desires of the devotees. The author's humility is thus a sign of authenticity, not a reason for distrust.