Most people call it an alarm; however, I call it the 7 o'clock bell. This 7 o'clock bell, as I say, has contributed more to my life than anyone else. What’s interesting is that I never made an effort to find out where this 7 o'clock bell comes from.
They say curiosity kills the cat, but satisfaction brings it back. And who am I to deny an old saying like that? So, I packed my bags, left my table, and went on an adventure to find the 7 o'clock bell.
After just four precious hours of searching, I discovered that it came from an old temple nearby. I wouldn’t say whether I was satisfied or not, but I was pleased to meet an old friend of mine—God, the Almighty, the one above all.
I wouldn’t say whether I love God or not, but what I do love are the adventures He tells. And today’s adventures are straight from my dear friend, God.
My Greatest Devotee
From the realms where time wanders,
I cast my gaze on mortal plight.
I witness their struggles, day and night,
Guiding them through time’s endless flight.
For I am God, the Almighty Light.
Today, my dear child, I shall tell you a story of Navkarpuri—
Navkarpuri, or as a simple man calls it, a small town in a distant land.
A summer in this land is dreaded,
But the monsoon is what they despise.
I never understood why.
They said, “We grow crops,” so I said, “Let it rain.”
They then cursed me for muddy roads, so I said, “No rain.”
They then cursed me for famine.
Oh, the deep trouble of being God!
I must tell you, I don’t have favorites,
But I really liked this priest in Navkarpuri.
His name was Ramchandra Ramaswami.
He was my greatest devotee, but he was poor.
He was also very greedy, but I don’t blame him for it.
I never made perfect humans—
That’s an imperfection of mine.
But nevertheless, I am, after all, God.
He really loved those tiny metal coins,
So all he ever asked for was them.
I, of course, am very generous;
I gave him several metal coins.
But he wanted more.
Oh, how greedy, I thought—but that was my mistake.
I should have made a perfect devotee, but nevertheless, I am God.
Once, I made it flood so heavily that it destroyed all in its path.
Why, you may ask? Oh, dear child of mine, have patience.
I shall tell you the most interesting tale.
In this rain and flood, where muddy roads held fast,
The king’s carriage became stuck.
In this distant land of Navkarpuri,
The king had no choice but to seek shelter.
And, as you may have guessed,
He came to the temple of my dear devotee—
A greedy one, but nevertheless a devotee.
The king rested and ate,
Sleeping on the temple’s floor while the priest tended to him.
Pleased with the priest’s actions, he wanted to reward him.
So, he thought, “What better way to reward a devotee than to reward his master?”
He commissioned the greatest bell, filled with jewels,
And hung it in the temple, pleased with his generosity.
I was pleased, too, thinking the priest might take it,
For my greatest devotee would surely know that my imperfection is not greed,
But my inability to make perfect humans.
You might think this a fine fairy tale, but reality had other plans.
The priest was not pleased—he was furious.
To him, I was the greedy one who stole his credit.
I was nothing like the great and mighty.
He disowned me, leaving me behind,
While he stole the bell, believing I never deserved it.
He lived happily off its wealth while cursing me every day.
Well, as I said, my only imperfection is not making perfect humans—
But nevertheless, I am God.
This is exceptional masterpiece of work
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