How did Chand Patil's 'Satya-Sai vow' parallel the traditional Satyanarayan vow, and what does this reveal about his perception of Sai Baba?

Chand Patil's innovation, the 'Satya-Sai vow,' was a direct adaptation of the traditional Satyanarayan vow, which people perform to overcome crises. As described in Chapter 13, the Patil initiated his vow out of gratitude. The parallel is in the structure and intent: a regular ritual to honor a divine power. However, instead of reading the Satyanarayan story, Patil read the three chapters on Sainath from Das Ganu's 'Bhaktalilamrut.' This substitution reveals his perception that Sai was equivalent to Narayan, stating explicitly, 'There it is Narayan, here it is Sai; there is no difference in either.' This act established a new devotional custom and equated Sai Baba with a supreme deity.