How did Sai Baba explain his attendance at Dev's Udyapan feast when confronted with Dev's letter of disappointment?

When Jog presented Dev's letter, Sai Baba reacted with surprise that Dev had failed to recognize him. According to chapter 40, Baba explained that he had kept his word. He stated, "I said I would come with two others, and I went with two others." Baba detailed how he first appeared alone in the guise of a Sanyasi and then returned at mealtime with two companions. He emphasized his commitment to his promises, saying, "for the sake of My word, I would die; but the words from My mouth shall never be otherwise." He clarified that while he did not leave his physical location in a worldly sense, he was spiritually and physically present at the feast in a different form, a truth Dev's 'veil of Maya' had obscured from him.