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same faith in our Ātmā that we have in the teacher and identify ourselves with his personality. Worship of any kind other than this cannot win absolute Mokşa. It may help one to win the means of Mokşa, but even that cannot be asserted with certainty.
Q.26.0 Who were Brahmā, Vişņu and Siva? A.26.0 It is possible that these might be representatives of the three fundamental functions of the universe namely; creation (Brahmā), maintenance (Vişnu) and disruption (Mahesa / Śiva). If so, their personification as deities is well and good. Or they might be allegorical names of some other trinity (such as, the three aspects of primeval Lord Vrsabha: first as Vişņu - the great ruler who laid down the foundation of state and society, secondly as Mahesh - the Mahayogi who destroyed the worlds of birth, death and old age, and thirdly as Brahma- the omniscient sage who gave the knowledge of great truths of the eternal drama of life). Taken in this way, the idea becomes intelligible. But the accounts as given in the Purāņas do not at all appeal to me. My interpretation finds support for this fact also that there are many great truths which have been described in the Purāņas in allegorical forms for teaching by lessons. We should try to derive the benefit from the lessons of this allegory without entering into the controversial matters about Brahma etc. To me, the allegorical interpretation looks very nice.
0.27.0 If a snake is about to bite me, should I allow myself to be bitten or should I kill it, supposing that that is the only way in which I can save myself? A.27.0 If I reply this question in the affirmative and simply say that let the snake bite, it would of course become a great problem. But, anyhow, for those who have realized the truth that body is a transient thing, it would not be at all reasonable to kill the creature. So my reply to this question is that those who are anxious for their spiritual good, should, when confronted with
Pg.298 Gandhi & Jainism
