Oneness with God's entire creation¹⁹

A great seeker named Bamadav was known throughout the land for his unparalleled kindness and compassion, not only towards humanity but towards all earthly creatures. Although he was extremely poor, his was the heart of magnanimity and generosity.

One day, Bamadav was preparing his simple evening meal. He had put butter on two pieces of bread, but had not yet buttered a third piece. He was about to eat the two buttered pieces when all of a sudden a dog started barking outside the door to his small cottage. When Bamadav opened the door, the dog ran in, grabbed the unbuttered piece of bread and ran away.

Bamadav ran after the dog, pleading with it to stop: “O dog, I am asking you to return my piece of bread only so that I can butter it and give it back to you. You are a guest, and guests should be treated with utmost affection and love.”

As soon as Bamadav said this, the dog changed into a human being full of luminosity, and said to him, “I am the Supreme Deity. I came to you to see your oneness with my entire creation.”

Bamadav was overwhelmed with joy and fell at the Supreme Deity’s Feet. The Supreme Deity blessed the great seeker, saying, “You saw Me in a dog. Others would have beaten the dog, instead of begging to get the piece of bread back in order to butter it. Your oneness with the animal world, your oneness with all the worlds, your oneness with My entire creation — all have pleased Me beyond your imagination. Therefore, I am granting you the supreme realisation: Eternity’s Peace, Infinity’s Light and Immortality’s Life.”