At Baba's inquiry, Bhau informed him of events, and Baba did not comment.
The next day, Baba said, "What quality of soda have you brought this time? This second crate stinks worse than the first! Return it and bring fresh stock. But don't go back to the same hotel where you went yesterday; he might give back the same bottles you gave him!"
"Baba, the whole consignment was received in one lot last month. From where am I to bring a fresh supply?"
"You want me to drink this awful stuff?"
So again Bhau lugged the crate from one cafe and restaurant to another. Unfortunately, cold soda was available only at that one place; his previous trick would no longer work, and he could not exchange them. Finally, he bought two bottles from each supplier, and sold the crate to a different restaurateur.
Baba did not like this deal and observed, "Did I tell you to exchange one crate for another, or to do as you liked!"
"Baba, what am I to do? My brain does not help me! To exchange soda water for soda water is impossible! All are ridiculing me and think me mad!"
"You are mad, and I am glad to know people recognize you to be so!"
It went on like this for some weeks, but once Bhau became resigned to his fate and obeyed Baba's specific instructions, the tedious tasks became easier. After Bhau accepted that this was Baba's wish and pleasure, Baba stopped complaining about the soda and instead complimented Bhau on how delicious it was. In fact, there was nothing wrong with the soda bottles. They did not smell — but to smash Bhau's hardcore intellect, Baba resorted to such lengths.
For 24 hours, from 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, 12 April 1956 until 7:00 P.M. on the 13th, Baba remained on a total fast, without even water. Two days later, on the 15th, he followed the same regime.
Meanwhile, Baba instructed Aloba to find an isolated spot near Satara where cricket could be played. Aloba selected a place near a riverbank, and Baba went there with the mandali on 19 April at 8:00 A.M. It was coincidentally Lord Ram's birthday that day. They played cricket for some time and also cards, and after spending about two hours there, they came back.
That evening, Baba moved to Judge's Bungalow to continue his work in seclusion.