PLEADER AND THE COBRA

 
Baba was pleased to know that the work on the cave was finished, and a tin sheet roof was installed overhead. The cave was eight feet deep and a carpet was spread over the earthen floor. A canvas was hung across the entrance, and the ground opposite the cave was leveled for the mandali to gather during Baba's seclusion. Baba named it the Panchvati Cave (1) and secluded himself in it on November 15th. Before entering seclusion, Baba held a darshan program for poor people only and many were fed. Late that afternoon, Baba was taken to the cave. Sitting on the ground in front of it, all chanted for one hour the simple prayer dictated by Baba of the Names of God:

Baba ordered this prayer to be sung along with his arti; each evening at sunset until he ended this seclusion.

While Baba was in strict seclusion in the Panchvati Cave, Pleader was isolated in the post office building. One day, Pleader looked up and saw an exceptionally long, black cobra hanging from the ceiling. He had orders not to leave the room, nor could he shout for help, since he was also maintaining silence. Although quite frightened, there was nothing he could do but stare up at the snake and remember Baba even more.

A considerable amount of time had passed, and it is even said that the cobra drank Pleader's milk. Finally, when Sidhu came to bring the next ration of milk, Pleader pointed toward the ceiling. Sidhu stumbled backward when he saw the size of the snake. He was so scared that for a few moments Sidhu could not utter a word, but then he began shouting. Pendu and Chhagan came running to help.

The cobra was curled in the corner of the rafters and it was difficult to lure it down in order to kill it. So Pendu and Chhagan wrapped a cloth around a stick, soaked it in kerosene and lit it. When they thrust the torch toward the snake, the cobra began hissing, spitting its venom, and trying to curl further into the corner, but the roof tile soon became so hot the snake fell down.

Pendu and Chhagan struck it with a staff, breaking a vertebra. Chhagan then crushed its head. The cobra had landed so close to him that Chhagan, even though he was an expert snake killer, afterward fainted. Despite all this commotion, Pleader did not leave his room nor did he break his silence, obeying the Master to the letter. (2)

(1) Panchvati Cave was named in remembrance of Lord Ram. Panch means five, vati means garden, and this cave at Meherabad symbolized the place of five gardens. Lord Ram stayed at a place in Uttar Pradesh called Panchvati during his twelve-year exile, and that is why this word has special significance.

(2) Another version to Pleader's story is that the cobra actually drank the milk for some days and would stare at Pleader.