What was the specific vow Cholkar made to Sai Baba and what was he hoping to achieve by making it?

Cholkar was in a precarious financial situation, described in Chapter 15 as a 'poor household' where everything depended on his job. To secure his position and make his salary permanent, he needed to pass an examination. Facing this challenge, he made a firm vow to Sai Baba. He promised that if he passed the exam by Baba's grace, he would travel to Shirdi to have Baba's darshan and would distribute sugar candy (khadisakhar) in Baba's name. This vow was critical for him, as the text states that if he failed, 'even his daily bread was at stake.'