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MIRA AND MAHAVIR
5
MAHAVIR-I wish indeed. I have read the story of the
Mahabharata. It is interesting, but not edifying. How they call it a religious book, I cannot understand. And Krishna too. Do you think he can be God, or his incarnation, or whatever else they call him ? It is these stories that turn away our minds from God,
if ever we wish to believe in him. MIRA— Have you read the Bhagavad Gita ? MAHAVIR-Yes, but it is so full of cgoism. Do you think
any man, however great, has a right to call himself God ? And what has Krishna, as he is in the Epic, donc to deserve that claim? The Gita is grcat, but
not Krishna, MIRA_But what if he were God indeed ? I wish I could
convince you. If only you could see that dream. It
was so wonderful ! MAHAVIR-You almost make me curious. But I wish to
think of some thing else:
"Dreams of the night, and deeds of the morn
Dreams of the dawn, and deeds of the day." MIRA—"Arc not our deeds but the days that are gone
And our dreams where the hopes of the future we lay?" MAHAVIR–Well, we are quits. If I dream tonight, I
shall tell you; and I am quite willing to believe in
anything you like-even God. And now good-night. MIRA-Good-night, and sweet dreams.