He was dumbfounded. There were no words to express his gratitude for his good fortune in having Baba's visit. So, in this way, the one who thought himself the most unfortunate received the most.
At Naidu's residence, his daughter garlanded Baba, and since the man was ill, the daughter read out a letter to Baba wherein Naidu expressed his earnest wish to surrender at Baba's feet.
Sitting down on his bed, Baba massaged Naidu's legs and remarked, "I am feeling very happy. Think of me always. I am the Ancient One. I am Krishna."
Prasad was brought to Baba, which he touched.
He again assured Naidu, "It is not at random that I say I am the slave of my lovers. Until the last moment, repeat my name: Baba, Baba, Baba !"
Dhanapathy Rao informed Baba that Naidu was hard of hearing.
Baba started to dictate, "I am also deaf. I listen only to very, very ..."
But before he could finish the sentence, the daughter began singing his arti, and without finishing his thought, he departed.
At eight o'clock that night, Baba with the mandali drove to Eluru, and the Masulipatnam lovers gave him a rousing send-off. On the way Baba felt thirsty and stopped the car near the village of Godavri. A man was standing by the road holding a lantern in one hand and a banana in the other. When the car stopped, he stepped forward and offered the banana to Baba after making obeisance. How he found out Baba's car would pass that way was, and remains, a mystery.
There were no shops nearby, so proceeding a short distance further they found one called the Durga Cold Drink Shop. Eruch went inside to fetch soda water for Baba. Eruch himself cleaned the glass, and on the shopkeeper's inquiring who it was for, Eruch answered, "My Master."
"Which Master?" the man asked.
"Meher Baba," he was told. The owner then went and took Baba's darshan. He would not accept the cost of the aerated water, but when Baba told him to consider it as prasad, he took the offered amount. Baba then sent the mandali inside for cold drinks. Baba accompanied them and distributed the drinks, giving one to each with his own hands. How lucky the proprietor was to have God Himself quench his thirst at his shop.
Baba and the group arrived in Eluru at 11:15 P.M. and went to Katta Subba Rao's garden. At the entrance, women performed his arti, after which Katta led Baba inside to rest. Dr. Deshmukh with his son, Prabodh, joined the group at Eluru.