Why was Dev so confused and doubtful about whether Baba had come to his ceremony?

Dev's confusion and doubt stemmed from a veil of Maya and his own preconceived notions. According to Chapter 40, when Baba first appeared as a Sanyasi, it was before Dev had even formally invited Baba for the Udyapan. This Sanyasi's stated purpose was collecting funds. Because of this initial interaction, when the same Sanyasi returned for the meal, Dev's mind couldn't make the connection that this was Baba in disguise. He later lamented, "how could I not guess that the Sanyasi was Baba? Because before the invitation was given to Baba, that first arrival had happened... he came for cow protection to get funds." This context created a delusion that prevented him from recognizing Sai Baba.