A Lesson in Vision
Once, while walking through the streets of Paṇḍharpur after his morning worship, Saint Namdev carried in his hands a small bowl of freshly made butter. He sang softly, “Vitthal, Vitthal,” every step an offering to the Lord. His heart was filled with sweetness—he intended to offer the butter to Vitthal in the temple.
Suddenly, a starving dog ran up, snatched the bowl, and bolted down the dusty road. The townspeople gasped in shock. But instead of anger, a gentle smile spread across Namdev’s face. He began running after the dog—not to punish it, but to serve it.
Chasing the Dog with Devotion
As the crowd watched, Namdev called out, “Stop, my dear Vitthal! You forgot to take the bread along with the butter!” He ran with a piece of roṭī in his hand, trying to catch up with the fleeing animal.
Those who saw this were amazed. “Has the saint gone mad? He’s chasing a dog, calling it God!” they murmured. But Namdev saw no dog—only the same divine form who stood smiling on the brick in Paṇḍharpur’s temple.
When he finally reached the animal, the dog stopped, wagging its tail, its eyes suddenly calm. Namdev gently placed the bread beside it and said, “Now, my Lord, please eat properly.”
At that very moment, the form of the dog shimmered in golden light and vanished, revealing Lord Vitthal Himself, smiling.
The Lord Reveals Himself
Vitthal said, “Nama, I was hungry, so I came in this form. Your heart recognized Me, not by form but by love. Blessed are you, for you have conquered illusion.”
Namdev bowed low. “O Lord, forgive me. I saw You, but still called out after You like a fool. When will my heart learn to see You without forgetting Your play?”
Vitthal touched his head and said, “Nama, to the world You seem like a simple tailor, but to Me, You are My purest devotee. You have seen Me in stone, in man, and now in a dog. Know that I dwell in all.”
The Onlookers Transformed
The villagers who had mocked Nama fell silent. They had seen the dog disappear in radiant light. Tears flowed from their eyes. “Truly,” they said, “the saints see what we cannot—the whole world as God’s body.”
From that day, people of Paṇḍharpur looked at every creature with reverence, remembering that the Lord might be walking among them in any form.
Reflection – Seeing God Everywhere
- Beyond Appearances: Where others saw a dirty stray, Namdev saw God’s play. Devotion changes perception more than the world itself.
- Love as Vision: True bhakti opens the inner eye, making even the lowest creature a temple of God.
- Spiritual Maturity: When one’s love is unbroken, every circumstance becomes an act of worship.
- Universal Compassion: The test of devotion is not in rituals or temples, but in recognizing divinity where others see impurity.
Source: Mahīpati, Bhaktavijaya, Chapter XVI, verses 1–67.
