According to Chapter 31, what interaction discouraged the sannyasi Vijayananda before he even met Sai Baba?

According to the account in Chapter 31, before meeting Sai Baba, the sannyasi Vijayananda had a discouraging encounter in Shirdi with Swami Somdevji of Haridwar. When Vijayananda inquired about the journey to Mansarovar, the Swami painted a grim picture. He described it as a 500-mile trip with heavy snow, frequent changes in language, and significant hardship for outsiders. Hearing this news from the Swami's mouth, the sannyasi became dejected, distressed, and immersed in worry about his pilgrimage.