Vedantic Tales: The Discipleship of
Sri Nag , The Cobra

Sri Nag felt confused. 'Sir?'

'Did I tell you to let yourself become defenseless, as you have done, unable to protect yourself, let alone your wife and children?'

'But, sir, I thought... '

'You thought! What did you think?'

'Sir,' Sri Nag said humbly, 'I have tried to follow your instructions. You told me not to strike the village boys, not to chase them. You said to harm no one.'

'Ah ha ha!' The sadhu looked deeply pained, as though he felt every blow the boys had inflicted on Sri Nag in his own body. 'You fool,' he said affectionately. 'I told you not to strike at them; did I tell you not to hiss at them?' Sri Nag was silent. 'My son,' the sadhu went on, 'it is your path in life to protect your home and provide for your family. For that, you must be strong. It does not befit you to act like an earthworm. You will be looked upon as a failure in life and will lose the respect of society. Did I ask you to give up your usual means of livelihood? That is not at all your part in this great, this beautiful dance of Shiva, this worship.'

'That's just what I said!' Akhu put in. 'Didn't I say that, Nagji?'

Sri Nag ignored him. 'Shiva left here long ago,' he said mournfully.

'What do you say!' The sadhu looked at him in rebuke and spoke sharply. 'Lord Shiva has never left!'

Sri Nag opened, his jaws in amazement; he said nothing.

'He has never left,' the sadhu repeated, 'not for an instant. The villagers have been worshipping Him elsewhere, that is all. His great Dance is always going on, and you are a mere gesture of His hand, a turning of His head; it is He who acts, not you. He is life and He is death. Knowing that, claiming no action as your own, follow your dharmik path; you will do no harm to others or yourself.'

Sri Nag gave a long, quavering sigh. 'I have failed all around.' He felt more dejected than he had felt all year.

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