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of munis, including his guru, lost their way. They were unable to reach a village by nightfall. Since muriis were not allowed to walk after dark so as not to harm unseen creatures underfoot, they stopped their vihar and slept out in the open under a tree. It was a beautiful night, and the nearly full moon shone its beams down upon them.
In the middle of the night, Gurudev felt something very heavy slithering across his chest. Instantly alert, he flung off his shawl, along with whatever was weighing it down. The cover fell to the ground with a loud thud, and a hissing sound was heard. The noise awakened the others who immediately jumped up and ran a safe distance away!
A large cobra was seen lying in front of Gurudev, its hood flaring, its beady eyes sparkling in the moonlight. It had fallen from a tall anthill near the tree where the monks had chosen to sleep without noticing the anthill, a favorite home for cobras. Gurudev's first reaction was a tremor of fear in the body, but his awareness was stronger. Immediately, it gave him poise and calm, in this moment of trial. He started reciting softly "Aum Namo Arihantanam, Aum Namo Arihantanam." Within a few seconds, as he was emanating a deep sense of peace and awareness, a subtle exchange of feeling began to flow between two living beings, one a man, the other a cobra. Soon the serpent deflated his stiff neck and moved away to continue his journey. Gurudev was imbued anew with reverence and awe before life.
Now I am convinced beyond doubt that life has nothing to fear from life. Life in all forms can detect the noblest of attitudes, the flow of loving kindness. In this flow, both man and animal lose their initial fear as well as their instinct to defend themselves. They will not become aggressive unless they are provoked or caught unaware by mistake.
Later Gurudev recorded some thoughts in his diary:
"We have all heard the warning- beware of the snake! It is poisonous and dangerous. But what of a man who forsakes his humanity? Is he not more dangerous than a cobra? The snake strikes in ignorance when he feels threatened. A so-called gentleman will inflict his wounds
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