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DAKSHINA

The natural forces that are working in us are none other than the natural elements that are working around us in the universe. For example breathing is a natural phenomenon which exists in every living creature. But we do not have any special effort in it. The same thing holds good to all other biological activities in us. The universal Godly spirit which keeps and runs the whole creation, is also working in us every minute. Forgetting this, it is mere ignorance to own the responsibility of cause and effect of our deeds. On the other hand accepting and observing them as they are, is the wisest act.

Realization that every thing is accomplished by God and he incarnates himself in different forms of mahatmas is called true Bhakti the reverential devotion accompanied by sradha. Lord Sai points out this truth in his frequent utterance- "Allah mallik". "God is the owner of every thing". This type of Sradda is called "Daksha" in Sanskrit. The experience of that idea in the form of action is the Dakshina that we offer to Sadguru and Gods. The same idea is meant by the word "Pradakshina". Sri Sai and Sri Venkaiah Swamy demanded and received dakshina at times from the devotees, only to make them realise this truth. In addition to this, according to the circumstances of each devotee, there will be many other meanings and specialities for the dakshina they demanded. I will give you a few such examples.

One day SK. Masthan Saheb (Head master, High school, Kalichedu) offered two rupees as Dakshina to Sri Swamy and prostrated before him. At once Sri Swamy told "Ayyaa! give him in writing that twenty six rupees are due to him". His servants gave him a chit to that effect. After three months the Government sanctioned him the additional increment of Rupees twenty six. The most astonishing thing is that they have granted the increment from the month in which Sri Swamy blessed him.

In the same way the salary of a devotee was enhanced from the date in which Sainath received Dakshina from that devotee. The amount of increase in salary was the same as the amount of Dakshina he had offered to Sri Sai. Sri Swamy gives weight not for the value of the things we have offered but for the real Bhakti and affection towards Sri Swamy. To make a show business before the on lookers if Dakshina is offered without reverence and sincerity, it is of no value for the Swamy and he considers it as the excreta of a crow.

Once I (author) offered four idlies to Sri Swamy as a token of my gratitude when he relieved me of my great suffering from Asthma. I went on chanting Sri Sai name incessantly on the way, while bringing idlies. One day I had only ten paise in my pocket. I fell in a dilemma whether to offer only one idly or four idlies by taking them on credit basis in the shop. In this thinking, I missed my incessant namajapa on the way . I brought four idlies. But Sri Swamy did not even touch them. The servants requested Sri Swamy to touch the idlies and give back them to me as a prasad. Sri Swamy did not touch them inspite of their repeated requests. He kept quite. First of all I lost my incessant Namajapa on the way. Secondly I have brought four idlies thinking that offering one idly-will, be disgraceful and also incurred a debt in the shop. So the offering was not approved by Sri Swamy. Sri Sai said "We should not incur debts to celibrate festivals or to go on pilgrimages". These words of Sai are reminded by this incident.

When Sri Swamy was at Kalichedu I promised to offer idlies to all the members of Sri Swamy's party including Swamy . I carried a non stop Namajapa all through the time of preparation of idlies like hand grinding and cooking etc. I have brought nearly eighty idlies.

Unfortunately due to the large preparations, I was late by 10 minutes to the scheduled time. By that time Sri Swamy ate idlies brought from the hotel. On seeing my lump of idlies the servants regretted saying that Sri Swamy had just finished his breakfast. I was very much depressed and sat dejected at my bad luck "when Sri Swamy did not eat what is the good of that large heap? What is my fault? Why did Sri Swamy punish me like this?" were my thoughts. The owner of that house on knowing my ill fate, took four idlies into a plate and approached Sri Swamy. The servants pounced upon her saying "as he has just finished his breakfast, you should not give them to him". She said "I am not asking Swamy to eat the idlies. I am requesting him to consecrate it with his sacred touch and give it back to Subbaramaiah". The merciful Swamy instead of touching the plate ate all the four idlies within no time and blessed me. Why should he eat idly for the second time also even though he had just finished his breakfast? It was only because of my incessant nama japa during the idly preparation, "sradha and affection" behind the offering. To some others Sri Swamy used to say that without receiving certain offerings he will not. get his voice. In such occasions, money minded people and misers used to think that Sri Swamy was mad after money. Anybody, if they observed his dispassion will come to the conclusion that there was no value formoney in the eyes of Sri Swamy. He never hid money for the next day. By the evening he emptied his hands by distributing the amount to his servants as per their necessity and labour. Further, he did not accept dakshina from some people even though they offered it voluntarily.

Sriramaiah of Nagula Vellatur village due to certain reasons started the cultivation of Ragi crop in his field a few days lately. The soil was not sufficiently wet. So he was afraid that it may not grow well. So he vowed to Sri Swamy that -he would offer 50 kilos of ragi for every quintal of crop. The field yielded a little more. He offered only a portion, of the promised grain to Sri Swamy. But he neglected the payment of the rest of the grain for two years. One day he came to Sri Swamy's darsan. At that time Sri Swamy was speaking to himself in an audible voice "those ragi went like that" He repeated the same sentence for two or three times. Sriramaiah understood that those references of Sri Swamy were only related to his vow. At once he offered the cost of that grain with interest.

Just like Sainath, Sri Swamy also collected the forgotten amounts of promises by demanding the devotees. Just like Sri Sai, Sri Swamy also demanded and got back the dues in small amounts for a number of times and when the due was over he never took a paise more. One day a coolie came to Sri Swamy from Naidupeta area. He offered two rupees and asked Sri Swamy to tell him the solution to his problem. After saying one or two words Sri Swamy said that the voice will not come unless he offered dakshina. Sri Swamy repeated the same technique for a number of times and took all the money that was with him. At the end Sri Swamy gave him his blessings on piece of paper and paid back six rupees for his bus fares.