Why Dharmic Deeds Bear Fruit Only by Giving Dakshina

There is a very beautiful mantra(1) in the Yajurveda, which states that diksha (initiation) is attained through vows (vrata) such as brahmacharya (celibate studenthood)—that is, one gains entry into brahmavidya (knowledge of Brahman) or any other sacred discipline through them. From diksha comes dakshina (sacrificial honorarium), which brings prestige, wealth, and prosperity. Here, receiving dakshina implies giving dakshina; the Veda holds that the gods grant even more to one who gives. As for one who does not give, the gods snatch away his wealth and bestow it upon the charitable.(2) It further says that from dakshina comes shraddha (reverence), and from shraddha comes satya (truth). The sequence is: Vrata --> Diksha --> Dakshina --> Shraddha --> Satya.

Dakshina stands in the middle; once initiated, having advanced upon the path, if one becomes greedy regarding dakshina, the path itself is destroyed. Therefore, the path ahead opens up only by offering dakshina to scholars, gurus, and acharyas (scholarly teachers), and giving dan (charity) to the deserving. Offering dakshina deepens one's reverence for one's guru and acharya. The guru, freed from other worldly anxieties, engages with even greater enthusiasm for the well-being of the disciple or yajamana (patron of a ritual), ultimately leading them to the realization of truth.

Now, regarding what dakshina should be, the shastra (scriptural authority) holds a clear view: dakshina must strictly be offered yathashakti (according to one's capacity) and yathasambhava (as far as possible). It should neither be less than one's capacity, nor is there any need for it to be excessive. The social structure of Sanatana Dharma was such that the responsibility for aparigrahi (non-possessive) brahmanas, purohitas (priests), and acharyas of jyotisha (Vedic astrology) rested upon society. Society sustained them through dakshina according to its capacity. In return, they sustained society with their wisdom. But as soon as miserliness entered the yajamana and greed entered the acharya, this system collapsed. The harm caused by this was that those whose duty was to act as priests and perform karmakanda (ritual rites), to teach as gurus, or to guide people and make them aware of life as jyotishacharyas (master astrologers), were forced to adopt other professions to run their households due to not receiving adequate dakshina from yajamanas, leading to the decay of these sacred disciplines.

Today, everyone looks at it one-sidedly, complaining that brahmanas do not perform priestly duties properly, or that astrologers exploit people and tell lies; but they fail to examine their own fault: did they fulfill their yajamana-dharma (duty of a ritual patron)? Do they offer dakshina to these acharyas according to their capacity and capability?

If you have an acquaintance who is an astrologer, you expect them to analyze your kundali (birth chart) for free, emotionally manipulating them. You ignore how many thousands of hours of study and tapasya (ascetic discipline) they undertook to acquire the knowledge of jyotisha. For the one or two hours they spend analyzing your kundali, you want to pay a paltry fee of 11, 51, or 101 rupees. If there is a ritual at home, you expect the pandit (priest) to agree to 101 rupees. He travels to your home from afar, spending an hour or two in transit, conducts the ritual for 2 hours, devoting his entire day, and in return, you wish to send him off with 101 or 151 rupees.

Is this truly according to your capacity and capability? If everyone pays those priests or astrologers merely 101 rupees, then devoting 2 hours to each person, how many—perhaps only 5 or 6 charts or rituals—can he perform? At a rate of 500 per day, this amounts to a mere 15 thousand or slightly more per month. How is he to run his household on this? And if he cannot run it peacefully, how will he concentrate on his sacred discipline and on the welfare of his yajamana? And when, out of sheer necessity, he sets a fixed fee, you label him a hypocrite and a business-minded fraud? Is this not a case of ignoring your own festering sore while staring at someone else's minor swelling?

You expect the astrologer to abide by Parashara Smriti and not demand dakshina, but when those very same scriptures command giving dakshina according to one's capacity for disciplines like jyotisha, you refuse to follow it. Then you hand over 11 rupees and say, "Panditji, it is sinful to leave without offering dakshina, so please keep this." Hey, 11 rupees does not even buy a glass of juice; why humiliate acquainted astrologers and priests by offering 11 rupees? Why incur sin upon yourselves? The Veda clearly states: "Indra tramples such miserly people underfoot like dry straw."(3)

I am not claiming that every astrologer is highly learned or every priest is flawless. But many among them are genuinely good, whom society discourages. In such a scenario, they are unable to focus on their studies. They too are forced to seek other avenues to meet their worldly needs. A dissatisfied acharya can never bestow grace. His grace can only be obtained through a sincere heart, full faith, and by ensuring his contentment. The remedies prescribed by them bear fruit only then.

A story appears in the Puranas (ancient texts): Devarshi Narada asked who reaps the fruit of an act performed without dakshina. Bhagavan Narayana replied, "O Muni! How can an act devoid of dakshina bear any fruit at all? For the capacity to produce fruit lies only in a ritual accompanied by dakshina. An act without dakshina goes into the belly of Bali—that is, it is destroyed."(4)

Having acharyas apply Vedic knowledge, perform priestly duties, and so on are integral parts of a yajna (sacrificial ritual). In the Manusmriti (the law-code of Manu), Maharaja Manu commands in unambiguous words:

"One should perform meritorious deeds, but should not perform a yajna with meager wealth. No yajna should be performed by offering inadequate or diminished dakshina. Conducting a yajna with meager dakshina destroys the senses, fame, heavenly realm, lifespan, glory, offspring, and livestock of the performer."(5)

It is stated elsewhere too,

"A yajna devoid of dakshina destroys the initiated performer."(6)

It is also declared in the Veda, "Agni protects from all sides that person who gives appropriate dakshina to one who strives to perform noble deeds."(7)

"Misers can never become endowed with wisdom; they shall forever stumble in darkness. Those who dedicate their wealth for the purpose of yajna prosper, while ungenerous individuals perish."(8)

Therefore, to protect Vedic disciplines and to safeguard Sanatana Dharma, do not merely indulge in blame. Do not be miserly in offering appropriate dan and dakshina to the acharyas who apply Vedic wisdom for you, as well as to other worthy Sanatani institutions and individuals. There are plenty of other places where you can save money. Being miserly on frivolous matters will grow your wealth; being stingy in the cause of Vedic wisdom and dharma will diminish it. In this realm, wealth increases only by giving. The scriptures offer a clear directive on this.

References:

1. Yajurveda 19.30
2. Rigveda 5.34.7
3. Atharvaveda 20.63.5/Rigveda 1.84.8
4. Brahmavaivarta Purana, Prakriti Khanda, Chapter 42
5. Manusmriti 11.39/40
6. Skanda Purana 5.33.27
7. Rigveda 1.31.15
8. Rigveda 4.51.3

Also read,

The Saga of the Puranas, Part-1: Why are the Puranas Important?
The Saga of the Puranas, Part-2: Who is Vedavyasa?
The Saga of the Puranas, Part-3: When Romaharshana and Ugrashrava of the Suta Jati Became Brahmanas