What was Damu Anna's emotional state after receiving Sai Baba's reply discouraging his cotton speculation plans?

Upon receiving Sai Baba's response, Damu Anna was deeply disappointed and crestfallen. Chapter 25 vividly describes his reaction, stating that the "fortress of his desires crumbled; the tree of hope was uprooted." He had been fantasizing about earning a lakh of rupees and becoming a millionaire money-lender in Nagar, and this dream was instantly shattered. He felt he had caused his own misfortune by writing the letter in the first place, lamenting that he had "kicked away the served plate" with his own hands. The mental kingdom he had constructed "melted away on the spot," leaving him feeling very low.