What was Dev's initial reaction when the Sanyasi came asking for donations, and what reason did he give for his response?

Initially, Dev was unable to fulfill the Sanyasi's request for a donation. As detailed in Chapter 40, Dev explained that another collection was already underway in the town, organized by Raosaheb Narottam Sheti and the Nagarseth. He stated that because of this existing fund, there was no capacity for a new collection. He politely told the Sanyasi that the timing was unfavorable and suggested he return to the town in two to four months, at which point he would reconsider the request. This shows Dev's practical approach rather than an outright refusal.