How do the anecdotes in Chapter 9 concerning the hungry dog and the eggplants collectively illustrate Sai Baba's union with his devotees and all beings?

The stories in Chapter 9 powerfully illustrate Sai Baba's oneness on both a universal and a personal level. Firstly, the incident with the lady who fed a dog shows his universal identification with all life forms. He explicitly states his oneness with the dog and even a pig, teaching her to "renounce the sense of difference." Secondly, the story of the eggplants demonstrates a deep, personal union with his devotees. A lady sent eggplants with the Purandare family, wishing for both 'bharit' and fried 'kachrya' to be served to Baba. Even though only the bharit was offered, Baba specifically requested the kachrya. This revealed his omniscience and his intimate connection to the devotee's loving thoughts and specific desires, proving his union not just with all creatures, but with the very heart of his followers.