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THE COBRA SNAKE
A cobra snake is like a yogi. It has a great selfcontrol in breathing, moving and concentration. Such snakes are common in India and yogis sometimes use them to test their own powers and attainments. Here, Guruji tells of his decision to encounter a king cobra. This story should be seen in relation to "The Conversion of the Snake," a story in which Lord Mahavira encounters a poisonous snake and from which Guruji drew inspiration for his own practices in seeking enlightenment.
ne year I was staying in an ashram located in the
of Lunaval, between
Bombay and Pune. The ashram was on a hilltop and I was climbing from the valley at evening time. I had seen cobras everyday for months, near the ashram, and I had not been particularly interested in testing myself with one until then. During this period of my life, I should add, I had taken an oath that was three-fold: I, to fear nothing (the oath of fearlessness); 2. to experiment with the power of love; 3. to know that premature death is impossible.
The path that I was walking on was very narrow and difficult, for on one side, it dropped off sharply as a rocky cliff while on the other, it was bordered by dense
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