Transcendental pastime

An account in Lord Meher one might have called "impossible" and "apocryphal" turns out is both possible and likely as anyone can now see.

When Merwan was eleven months old, one day Shireen left him outside in a cradle underneath a tree while she went back to the kitchen to cook. When she returned, a dreadful sight nearly made her faint. A deadly black cobra had crawled into the cradle and had curled itself around Merwan, who was happily playing with it. Terrified, Shireen screamed loudly for help. The cobra quietly slipped away, as if it had only been innocently playing with the little child. Shireen clasped Merwan in her arms, and she later related that he looked at her as if to say, "Why did you interrupt my play? I was having fun." By the time the neighbors gathered, the cobra had disappeared. The neighbors consoled Shireen, assuring her that this was an auspicious sign of her son's exceptional future. (LM 147)

Indian black cobra

For those who would like to know exactly what a black cobra looks like, click the image to the right. As anyone can see a black cobra is a terrifying animal that would make any mother scream.

Shiva with Cobra around neck

The cobra plays an important role in Indian mythology. The Hindu god Shiva is often depicted with a protective cobra coiled around his neck. Again, click photo for a better view.

A more formless type of hooded serpent in Indian philosophy is Shesha or Sankarshana who is the oceanic state of Vishnu and a symbol of the avatar prior to manifestation.

"The foremost manifestation of Krishna is Sankarshana, who is known as Ananta. He is the origin of all incarnations within this material world. Previous to the appearance of Lord Krishna, this original Sankarshana will appear as Baladeva, just to please the Supreme Lord Krishna in His transcendental pastimes." (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.24)