HINDU ZOOLOGICAL BELIEFS. 255 



The Cobra is tlio best-known Snake in India and is widely 

 worshipped. There are several common beliefs current about 

 this Snake. The Cobras of the highest caste have a ruby 

 (manickam) on the top of the head. When the Snake is 

 wandering at night in search of food, it places this gem on the 

 ground, and by its light it is able to see its prey. A very wide- 

 spread idea firmly held is that the Cobra is only the female, 

 while the Eat-Snake {Zamenis) is the male. If a man see the 

 pair together and is noticed by them, then he must take to flight 

 at once, for both Snakes will pursue him relentlessly, especially 

 the Cobra. In such a predicament the best thing to do is to 

 throw oti some part of one's clothing, which the pursuing 

 reptile will then seize and bite savagely. The fact that there 

 are male and female Cobras, as well as Eat-Snakes of both sexes, 

 present in thousands in India, will not make the Hindu give up 

 his belief in this fantastic tale. 



According to the Indian there are three animals in the world 

 that love music — the Snake, to which the charmer always pipes ; 

 the Cow, to which Krishna, as the cow-herd, played his flute ; 

 and a baby. The middle finger in Tamil is known as the snake- 

 finger, and no ring is ever worn upon it, because if this is done 

 then a Snake is sure to bite the owner during the night. If a 

 venomous Snake does not bite a human being then it gradually 

 gets smaller and smaller. Finally, when very minute, it acquires 

 wings and flies about in the darkness. Some people away in 

 remote country districts claim the ability to see these peculiarly 

 attenuated flying Serpents, and can point them out at night 

 while they are on the wing. 



We have previously referred to the fact that Snake worship 

 is very common in South India, and is practised by all castes. 

 In almost every village you will find snake-stones set up. These 

 stones bear upon them very roughly carved representations of a 

 single Cobra with inflated hood, or of a couple of Cobras 

 entwined. When a married couple have no children — his 

 religion demands that every Hindu must have a son to perform 

 the necessary ceremonies after his death, so that his soul may 

 have bliss in the hereafter — they think they have in some way 

 offended Subrahmanyam, the snake-god. They therefore repair 

 to the snake-stones of the village, and worship the god by 



