Baba's Teachings through 'Udi' and 'Dakshina'

[Guest guest]

Udi

 

Udi the Sacred ash is the end product of the perpetual

fire dhuni lit by Sai Baba in Dwarkamai at Shirdi

during his life time.Baba taught by this 'Udi' that

all the visible phenomena in the world are as

transient as the wood turning into ash. Baba wanted

to din into the ears of his devotees the sense of

discrimination between the unreal and the real. The

realization that all phenomena in nature are

perishable and unworthy of our craving is signified in

'Udi' which Baba distributed to all. Even today it is

customary to partake the sacred ash in the Sai

Temples.

 

Dakshina

 

Baba would ask for 'Dakshina' from those that come to

see him each according to his means. This was one of

the Baba's methods for testing out the devotees

attachment to worldly things.

 

Those days a large number of people thronged Shirdi as

Sai Baba had the reputation fulfilling the temporal

desires and needs of people who went to see him. This

was also well known that Baba asked for 'Dakshina'.

Those who had great attachment to money and did not

want to part with it for anything, they were kept at

bay by the method of 'Dakshina'.

 

The former (Udi) taught us discrimination (Vivek) and

the latter (Dakshina) taught us non-attachment

(Vairagya). These two qualities are most essential on

the path of self-realization.

 

Chapter 33 of Shri Sai Satcharitra (Life story and

Teachings of Shri Sai Baba) - describing the greatness

of UDI

 

Chapter 34 of Shri Sai Satcharitra (Life story and

Teachings of Shri Sai Baba) - describing the greatness

of UDI

 

Chapter 14 of Shri Sai Satcharitra (Life story and

Teachings of Shri Sai Baba) - describing the

significance of Dakshina