Why offer dakshina? That man asks for an offering whenever someone visits him. Why should we give him that, God?
Ah! You mean the Saint who asked you for some dakshina?
Yes. I think he behaves like a beggar.
But beggars don’t spout wisdom, right? He is a much evolved person, don’t you think so?
So how are we humans to recognize who is a true sage and who isn’t?
There are number of pointers for that. First of all, it’s the true knowledge he spouts.
But learned people who write big spiritual books and bestsellers also could be called knowledgeable. Then how do we distinguish?
Do they have a fancy degree and have studied the subject? These people are called scholars and not sages.
But that is a fine line between sages and scholars. It will be impossible to know the difference.
Divine knowledge is self effulgent and self generated. It arises of its own accord and hence its called divine.
You mean it could come through a dream or flash?
Yes, I can grant that knowledge as a spark or even a perennial flow. That knowledge is called swayambhu. Or self generated.
So these sages are not well read but talk about stuff which they have never read or heard of ever.
Yes. True. Their physical bodies have never experienced or understood in the worldly sense the spiritual knowledge they speak. It’s neither derived or contrived.
Oh, ok! Now if I were to meet someone like that, how to understand that he is the one?
He will be kind, compassionate, loving, peaceful, truthful, free soul and just like an Avadhoota.
Who is an Avadhoota? You mean to say the ever free souls who roam around the world, without any care for anything at all.
Yes. These are great souls who live like birds. They don’t hoard or keep things for another day.
Now I get it. You give dakshina to such type of people who don’t care for money. Give those who don’t hoard it.
Absolutely right. You are not offering them charity or alms. You are giving them an offering. Just the way you offer me in temples or churches. I don’t keep any money!
But the priests keep it and feed themselves. I guess they have to do that. It’s their income. You are the commodity they peddle.
Hence, you are supposed to offer the saints something. They will not keep it for themselves but pass it on to other needy.
Yes. I have seen this Saint who doesn’t keep anything at all for himself. He gives it to poor by mass feeding them or looking after their families.
You will find true sages who don’t sell themselves too. True sages don’t sell classes or charge fees for their classes. They may teach but they don’t sell their knowledge.
But we are supposed to offer dakshina to them. Ah! Now I get it. They are not collecting funds for supporting themselves.
These amounts are not big so they can be handed over to them. They may ask for a few cents or rupees.
What can you get for a few rupees nowadays? Even the hotel food costs a lot.
That’s true. The pennies you give them cannot make them rich but you must give. It redeems you in this life.
They cannot build castles with pennies. I am sorry I was very rude about it.
No one understands the truth. So it’s all right. Give dakshina only to the deserving ones. Test out their knowledge whether it’s self generated or not. Also check whether they have ulterior motives for collecting money.
Yes. I will definitely find out whether they are selling something or not. If they are charging a price then I will know that they aren’t true blue saints.
Find yourself a sage and stick to him. Remember that his knowledge is free but make an offering to him when he gives you that. He may never ask for anything at all. It’s your duty to give.
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