.: ॐ साई राम :.
Udi:
It is the Sacred ash which is 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.
