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.

     Baba would ask for 'Dakshina' from those that come to see him each according to his means.  This is was one of the Baba's methods for testing out the devotees attachment to worldly things.  Very often by the sum asked for  Baba implied symbolically what he wanted the devotee to surrender.

     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.