Prasad is the reverse of dakshina in Hindu religious and spiritual practices - it is a gift from the guru or god back to the devotee, usually in the form of food. The devotee, having offered his or her gift, is given a sweetmeat or a piece of fruit from a large bowl. This is prasad, and represents the offering of divine grace to the devotee in return for their own gesture of practice and devotion.

On special occasions and large feasts the prasad at a Hindu temple gets a little more fancy - large handfuls of Biryani rice and mouthfuls of sweet yoghurt are common. Prasad is tremendously important in Hinduism, and in the traditions of guru-devotion, and if a devotee is lucky enough to be given a significant piece of prasad, for example a personal item of the guru, it will be treasured as if it was made of solid gold for the rest of that person's life. Often a guru will give his sandals as prasad to the most advanced or favoured of devotees.

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