Vedantic Tales: The Discipleship of
Sri Nag , The Cobra

Sri Nag lived with his wife, Uma, and their three children near a village in Bengal. The family were prosperous, for Sri Nag was an excellent provider, an expert at catching mice and other small creatures, and second to none in his ability to ward off intruders from his domain. The territory he commanded was a large field, in the centre of which stood a small stone temple, once inhabited by Lord Shiva, but now solely by Sri Nag and his family. Long, long ago Sri Nag's ancestors and Lord Shiva had dwelt in the temple in perfect harmony, until the villagers, becoming fearful of the cobras, no longer worshipped there. A new temple had been erected beyond the limits of Nag territory, and there the Shiva Linga had been installed. Its removal from the Nag ancestral home was a source of deep sorrow to the family - a heartache handed down through the generations.

Sri Nag's ancestry extended far back into the remote past. He was the perfected product of centuries, if not millennia, of breeding. His length was over six feet, sinewy and sleek; his wide hood had a round black mark on either side, giving him the appearance of an all-seeing menace. When he lifted the front part of his body and spread that hood to its full and glorious width, he was indeed a formidable sight, striking terror into the heart of whoever dared venture nearby. Few did. Sri Nag, whose speed was as great as his threatening beauty, could easily overtake a fleeing trespasser, sink his long fangs into a bare leg, and inject his venom into the wound. He was proud to say that more than one villager had perished as a result of straying into his field.

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