Sister-in-law Sundari Amma related another exchange with Guruji that reveals even more about his ambivalence toward money and its temptations.

Guruji, his brother, Amma and myself were travelling by Jeep on a pilgrimage to Arasavilli. Guruji had his eyes closed, meditating. As we approached Srikakulam, he suddenly opened his eyes, saying that a yakshini had just appeared to him and revealed a spot nearby where there was a buried treasure! Being young at the time, I immediately said, “Well, we need money to build the temple! Most people can only donate, at best, ₹100 or ₹50. So let’s go retrieve this treasure and use it!” But Guruji laughed and said, “That’s not how it works. To commit money won in a lottery is not true commitment. I will have to work hard—and many thousands of others will have to expend their labor too. This temple will be built by mitigating the karmic debts accumulated over many lifetimes of those who traverse the path along with me. And in return we will build a temple within the heart of every person who comes here. For that, we do not need money!”

Source: "Goddess and the Guru"