Page 68 - My Father-Final Book

the benefit of the poor and downtrodden. My father never used his powers either for his own benefit or for gaining name, fame and money. However, a close relative of Krishnanatha Maharaj became extremely jealous and tried to defame my father through newspapers. I still have the newspaper articles of that time i.e. before 1955. This incidence caused my mother extreme agony and her pregnancy was affected to the extent that my next eldest sister was born with down-syndrome. She was in mental institute towards the last 25 years of her life. My father’s peace of mind and patience was fully tested during this period. He privately mentioned to me that peace of mind is the main contributor in the spiritual as well as material advancement.
Mr. Vasantashastri Panashikar (Aba) was a Sanskrit Scholar in Girgaon, Mumbai. He was into performing Kirtans and had seriously taken the path of devotion. He had decided to establish silver Padukas (symbolic sandals) of Shirdi Saibaba at 11 places in where he notices a strong devotion of ShirdiSaibaba. In 1952, he was going to establish such Padukas in Phanaswadi, Girgaon, Mumbai. He had various difficulties. He learnt about my father and requested my father’s help in resolving these problems. On the resolution of these, he established in Girgaon in the presence of my father and another Sai Baba devotee, Swami Sharananandaji. [Illustration35: letters from Aba Panashikar to my father in 1954]
In 1953, Abaji decided to establish the second Padukas in Pune at my father’s home. He was extremely delighted to find such a devotee of Sai Baba. He, with the help of his devotees group, donated such Padukas to my father on 2nd September
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