Why was Dev unable to recognize Sai Baba when he appeared as a Sanyasi at the Udyapan feast?

Dev's failure to recognize Baba was due to a 'veil of Maya' or delusion, as explained in Chapter 40. The primary reason was that this same Sanyasi had visited him before the Udyapan invitation was even sent to Sai, but for a completely different purpose: to collect funds for cow protection. This prior interaction cemented the Sanyasi's identity in Dev's mind as a fundraiser, not a divine visitor. Dev later lamented his own foolishness, realizing he had forgotten Baba's specific words: 'When I come for the meal, two others will come with me.' Because the Sanyasi's first visit was for his own work and happened before the invitation, Dev's perception was clouded, preventing him from making the connection.