What exactly happened when Kaka Mahajani's skeptical friend first went to see Sai Baba? What made him break his promise not to bow down?

When Kaka Mahajani's friend, who had resolved not to bow, first entered the mosque, Sai Baba saw him from a distance and spoke to him. As Chapter 35 recounts, the tone of Baba's voice was an exact, perfect imitation of the friend's deceased father. Hearing those loving words in a voice so familiar and cherished, the friend was astonished and his heart melted. The text states that this powerful and personal experience caused him to completely forget his previous resolve, and he instinctively bowed his head at Baba's feet.