All the arrangements were made, and on 31 December, Baba left for Bombay, accompanied by Eruch, Pendu, Gustadji and Nilu. Chhagan and Sidhu met them in Bombay as instructed. Except for Nariman and Meherjee, no outsider was permitted to come to the rented two-story house near Versova Beach and none were informed of Baba's whereabouts. The mandali kept awake night and day in his service, and Baba behaved like an ordinary patient diligently following the doctor's advice. But Baba's complaints soon multiplied and he began asking for any and every medicine. Eruch and Pendu reminded him, "You are a patient, and have to act according to what the doctor says. We have brought you to Bombay as a patient, and we will only follow the doctor's instructions."
Baba would experience terrible bodyaches at this time. Each night at about 1:00 A.M. he would ask the mandali to strike his body with their fists to relieve the pain — which was no doubt a result of his Universal work. Thus for three days and nights the mandali remained awake. Since coming to Bombay, it seemed as if Baba had grown weaker and weaker. He was unable to sit up, and could do so only with the mandali's help. He had stated something serious would happen to his body in December and his prediction seemed to be coming true. But on the fourth day, amazingly, he abruptly sat up and looked as if he had fully recovered.
With his usual animation he asked the mandali, "What do you take me for?"
"As God," they replied.
Thereupon he observed, "And knowing that I am God, you still deal with me as an ordinary man. If I am God, I know everything, and it is your duty to do as I tell you. Even if I ask you for poison, without the least hesitation you should give it to me. Am I an ordinary patient? Could any doctor ever diagnose my real illness? If you think like that, your staying with me is of no use!"
Baba scolded them with such force that none of them could utter a word, and so on Monday, 4 January 1954, they packed their bags and returned with Baba to Mahabaleshwar.
In Mahabaleshwar, the mandali would trudge two miles daily to Shahastrabudhe's guest house for their lunch. Only Gustadji and Kaikobad's food was sent to the bungalow. Naja would cook for Baba and the women mandali in the bungalow itself.