“Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name…

“Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name…

Name, banner, language, caste, creed and nationality and so on… these restrictions are only for the finite earthly minds… for the Supreme Godhood Who ‘revisited’ the planet Earth to Love All and Serve All, all belongs to Him in equal measure sans any discrimination… a beautiful story of “Ten Dollars” from Sri Rajendra Ghayal, UK.

This story dates back to 1978…
Last April May, I went to visit my sisters in New Jersey, U S A. While at the home of my younger sister there, one Tuesday, (May, 9th, 78, to be exact), I had a dream – or was it a semi-dream, or a vision? For, I am sure, I was at least half awake – in which Swami appeared, and conversed with me for some time. He enlightened me on a few spiritual problems which were worrying me, and turning towards me suddenly, He said, “Thursday, when you meet a person, give him the amount of money you can afford.” I asked him, quite innocently, “Will a dollar be enough?” He replied, “Fine.”

On Thursday, about a few minutes after twelve, my brother-in-law and I went to a couple of Banks, in East Orange, New Jersey, to make a few enquiries.

At one of the Banks, my eyes fell on a blind, old, black gentleman, waiting for a clerk to attend on him. I started watching him. It seems he had come to withdraw a portion of the money he was expecting some one to deposit in his account, and the clerk was busy going through the books. At last, the clerk came to him and told him that there was nothing in his account. The money had not come yet.

Slowly and sadly, he made his way out of the Bank. I approached him and told him about my dream and Baba. But, he was too perturbed to listen or understand. I knew that he was the man that Baba had told me about. So. I gave him ten dollars. He asked me, with a smile on his face, “How much is it?” I said, “Ten dollars. Thank Sai Baba for this.” I could not control the tears in my eyes. It was a blissful moment for both of us.

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name – A Sacred Lesson On Offering, Faith, And Pure Intention

Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name is a beautiful spiritual theme that reminds us that the value of an offering is not measured only by its amount, but by the love, faith, and purity behind it. In the eyes of God, even a small gift becomes sacred when it is offered with humility, devotion, and a sincere desire to serve.

Human beings often measure everything through money, size, and outer appearance. A large donation may receive public praise, while a small offering may go unnoticed. But the Divine does not look at the world’s scale. God looks at the heart. A simple act done with love can carry more spiritual power than a grand act done with ego.

Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name teaches that devotion can express itself through even the smallest gesture. A coin given with compassion, a meal shared with kindness, a flower offered with love, or a few dollars given in the name of service can become an offering at the feet of the Divine. What matters most is the feeling behind the action.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often emphasized that service should be done without pride and without expectation. If we give only to be praised, photographed, or remembered, the purity of the act becomes weak. But when we give silently, feeling that God is the real giver and receiver, the offering becomes holy.

Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name becomes meaningful when we understand that no sincere offering is too small. Sometimes a person may not have much wealth, but still wishes to help. Such a heart is precious. God does not reject a humble gift. The Lord receives the devotion, sacrifice, and love hidden within it.

Giving in Sai’s name also means giving with Sai’s values. It should be connected with love, compassion, truth, and service. If money is offered, it should support goodness. If time is offered, it should be used sincerely. If talent is offered, it should help others. Every offering becomes pure when it uplifts life.

Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name also reminds us that service is not only for the rich. Many people think they cannot serve because they do not have enough money. But service can be done through kind words, helpful actions, prayer, time, attention, and sympathy. A loving heart always finds a way to give.

A small donation can carry a big blessing when it is joined with selflessness. It may feed someone, support a good cause, help a child, comfort a suffering person, or become part of a larger act of welfare. In spiritual life, nothing offered with sincerity is wasted. God knows how to multiply love.

Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name finally teaches that giving should purify attachment. Money can easily create pride, fear, greed, and possessiveness. When we offer a part of what we have for a noble purpose, we remind ourselves that nothing truly belongs to us. Everything is God’s gift, and we are only caretakers.

The act of giving should also awaken gratitude. Before offering anything, we should remember how much we have received from God, family, society, nature, and unseen hands. Every breath, meal, opportunity, protection, and moment of peace is a blessing. Gratitude makes giving joyful rather than heavy.

A devotee should give with discrimination also. Good intention should be joined with wise action. The offering should support honest, helpful, and compassionate work. When charity is guided by wisdom, it becomes more effective and more aligned with dharma.

Prayer, namasmarana, bhajan, meditation, and seva help purify the spirit of giving. Prayer removes pride, the divine name purifies thought, bhajan fills the heart with devotion, meditation brings inner clarity, and seva turns love into action. These practices teach us to offer without ego.

The greatest offering is not money alone, but the transformation of the heart. If we offer money but continue to hurt others, our devotion remains incomplete. If we offer flowers but speak harshly, the fragrance does not enter life. God is pleased when our thoughts, words, and actions become pure.

Every day gives us chances to give something in God’s name. We can give patience to someone difficult, encouragement to someone discouraged, food to someone hungry, forgiveness to someone who hurt us, and time to someone lonely. Such offerings may not always be counted by people, but they are counted by grace.

In the end, Ten Dollars in Sai’s Name is a sacred reminder that even a small offering becomes divine when filled with love, humility, and service. It asks us to give not for pride, but for God; not for display, but for compassion. When the heart offers sincerely, life becomes blessed with Sai’s grace.

Soar Like A Lark