This is the season of Vesak where Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and passing away. No sooner Gautma became Buddha the Thathagatha spent 7 weeks paying tribute to the elements, which facilitated the journey – and provided shelter during meditation. During the 6th week, heavy rains had prevailed but a cobra known as Muchalinda had shielded the Buddha with his large hood giving protection to the Thathagatha from the inclement rain. ZooLander this week ventures to explore the life of cobras...!
The Vesak season is celebrated with lots of lanterns and pandals. The Sath Sathiya depicts how the Buddha spent 7 weeks immediately after becoming a Thathagatha, and is the subject of many of these pandals. The first week after enlightenment was spent under a Bo tree experiencing the freedom and peace of becoming a Buddha. On the second week, Buddha continued to gaze at the Bo tree in gratitude to the tree that had given shelter during the struggle to attain enlightenment. Of the rest of the seven weeks, the sixth week is perhaps the most interesting for those who like to read about animals.
On
the sixth week of meditation it had begun to rain heavily threatening
to disturb the Buddha’s meritorious attempt, when a huge cobra known as
the Muchalinda Nagaraja (cobra king) came out from its den and coiled
its body seven times around the Buddha to keep the Thathagatha warm.
Also the cobra protected the Buddha by shielding the Blessed One from
the rain with its hood, is what legend says. Some Buddhist legends also
go on to mention that after seven days, the rain stopped and the snake
changed into a young man who paid his respects to the Buddha. Whether this is fact or fiction, it is interesting that the cobra has been mentioned in a very close encounter with the Buddha. What makes it significant is that the Cobra, known as a venomous snake, had not harmed the Buddha who also did not deny the close encounter with a cobra. Snakes are also considered disgusting as they appear slithery, whereas, in fact they are dry animals with scales – and perhaps this example of being able to protect the Buddha is a unique testimony to this feature.
Cobras or nagas are considered sacred by Buddhists and Hindus alike. Some legends even mention of cobras that can take the human body shape. In Hindu and Buddhist mythology It is said that nagas are a race of semi-divine serpent creatures. Female nagas are called nagis or naginis. Usually depicted as human above the waist and snake below the waist, nagas can also change shape to appear fully human, or snake. Nagas and nagis are known for their strength, supernatural wisdom, and good looks. When nagis take the human form, they can marry mortal men, and some Indian dynasties claim descent from them. Some also believes the cobras mentioned in these legends are a tribe known as ‘Naga People’ who worships snakes.
Other snakes mentioned in Buddhism
In Buddhism, there are many references to snakes. In one instance the Buddha is said to have drawn a parallel between money and a snake, likening a money to a snake. The story goes, some thieves having stolen valuables and cash from the house of a rich man had come to a field and divided the loot, from which a packet of money had dropped, and been left behind unnoticed. The Buddha had passed by, in the companying of Venerable Ananda, and on seeing the money packet, had called on Venerable Ananda to look at the very poisonous snake – and the story continues, with the Buddha likening money to a venomous snake.
There are other instances too, where snakes are mentioned in Buddhist legends and related Jathaka stories. The cobra is undoubtedly the most famous and sacred snake of them all.
Real cobras
Whatever legend says, there are real cobras in Sri Lanka. They are one of the 7 most lethally venomous snakes and if not treated, their bites will prove to be fatal. Cobras are widely distributed in Sri Lanka and the species found here are scientifically classified as Naja Naja or Indian Cobra. On the rear of the snake’s hood are two circular patterns connected by a curved line, evoking the image of spectacles, hence our cobra is also known as the spectacled cobra. Hindus believe these markings are the footmarks of Lord Krishna that danced on hundred and ten hooded snake’s head, known as Kaliya. Naja Naja is distributed across the Indian Subcontinent.
An average cobra is about 1.9 meters (6 feet) in length and there are the rare ones that can be as long as 2.4 meters (nearly 8 feet). Cobras can expand their neck ribs to form a widened hood and our cobra too has this ability like the Muchalinda cobra king. A hood is indeed the most distinctive and impressive characteristic of the Indian cobra. It is formed by raising the anterior portion of the body and spreading some of the ribs in its neck region when it is threatened. The spectacle pattern on the hood varies greatly, as does the overall colour of the snake. The female lays 20 to 30 eggs at a time and will guard them until they are hatched.
Cobras in the zoos Snake Show
If you live in the outskirts of Colombo or in a remote area, there is a chance that you could have an encounter with a cobra. They carry a neuro-toxin venom and stings can be quite lethal if not treated. But luckily there is anti-venom snake serum available in most of the hospitals in Sri Lanka.
However, you can visit the Dehiwala Zoo to observe cobras in safety. There are a couple of cobras in the zoo’s reptilian section. A few of them are taken out during the Snake Show that is held daily at 2pm at the old elephant arenas. The show is conducted by either Nihal Senarath - the Education officer of National Zoological gardens or a curator of the reptilian area.
The Snake Show also helps to clarify some of the myths associated with cobras. Some believe that they grow wings on maturity and fly to the Himalaya region. “But the cobra is just a reptile and how can he get wings to fly,” questions Nihal Senarath during the show from a captivated audience.
Mythology busters
Snake charmers too are famous for making cobras ‘dance’ by playing their flutes. But snakes do not have ears, so there is no possibility of them responding to the sound of music. But if you look carefully, the snake charmer shakes his knee –– and the cobra too moves its head synchronizing with that movement, which explains the snake show conductors replicating the same scenario making the cobra dance sometimes without using a flute.
It is also said that the cobras when provoked, will keep it in mind and when they get the chance, attack. But it seems this too is a myth. The cobra can perhaps live closer to the victim’s place, so there is a higher chance of getting bitten if a person is not careful. Perhaps it is a different cobra that attacks on a different occasion, but people link the two episodes and associate one cobra with both incidents ...
The cobra is a really interesting creature that evokes both fear and sanctity in the human mind. On your next visit to the zoo, observe them closely. The snake show is also an opportunity for you to get to see these creatures at closer quarters; go on be there at 2.00pm at the old Elephant Arena located near the elephant shed.
Published on LakbimaNews on 13.05.2012
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