What prior event clouded Dev's judgment and prevented him from recognizing Sai Baba in the form of a Sanyasi?

Dev's judgment was clouded by a previous encounter with the same Sanyasi, which created a mental barrier. As Dev himself reflected in Chapter 40, the Sanyasi had first appeared before the Udyapan invitation was even extended to Sai Baba. The purpose of that initial visit was to collect funds for cow protection. Because this meeting was for worldly reasons, it fixed in Dev’s mind the idea of the Sanyasi as a fundraiser. When this same person later appeared for the meal, Dev's mind was deluded and he could not connect the humble Sanyasi with the divine Master he had invited. He believed if the Sanyasi had appeared for the first time after the invitation, his vision would not have been so confused.