Vedantic Tales: The Discipleship of
Sri Nag , The Cobra

Akhu and his four colleagues abruptly scampered off, this time not in single file, but in all directions.

'And remember always,' the sadhu continued, 'if ever you are molested, hiss your best hiss, spread your hood to its widest, stand tall, be a Terror! Play the part of a mighty cobra; but always without anger, fear, or greed in short, without feeling separate; know that whatever you do is a movement in Shiva's Dance. Offer it all to Him and continue to say your mantra: "Om. Sivasya'ham. Sivasya'ham"-"I am Shiva's, I am Shiva's." ' Again he placed his hand on Sri Nag's head. 'Bless you, my son,' he said, and then he turned and walked away.

It was not difficult, to be sure, for Sri Nag, Uma, and the children (who were of an age now to hunt) to catch mice. Indeed, it sometimes seemed that the mice ran to them of their own accord, as though wanting to give themselves to the cobras in accordance with some ancient and sacred rite. Still, the Nag family took no more than they immediately needed, and these they at once offered to Shiva and took as His prasad. As the days went by, Sri Nag glided more and more easily and swiftly through the tall grass. He soon shed his old skin, revealing a glistening new one underneath, and he began once again to provide for Uma, leaving her free to attend to their newborn clutch of little ones. But even with many mouths to feed Sri Nag hunted without haste or anxiety; indeed, he felt not like a hunter at all. For the first time, the meaning of his mantra awoke in him: what had seemed to be only words became living fact: he was a child of Lord Shiva's, an integral part of Him, his every movement a fluid gesture of His Dance. He knew now with a conscious awareness that he and the mice, and the frogs, too, were all joyful participants in a great worship, and he felt a peace such as he had never known before.

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