The Jewel in the Cobra’s Head

An ancient Indian legend tells of a precious jewel in the Cobra’s head. Symbolically, this jewel represents ‘light’, the precious source of wisdom. In reality it is a membrane, the pineal gland, regarded in the East as the seat of extra-sensory perception. In birds and animals whose cerebrum (the top part of the brain) is small or non-existent, it lies immediately under the skull and is sensitive to light. Once, it seems, the pineal gland was an eye.

Zoologists have testified that they have witnessed a Cobra at night with its ‘jewel’ glowing, moving through the undergrowth in search or water. Since glow-worms, fireflies, electric eels and many fish exhibit a similar phenomenon. The Cobra’s skin is considered to be highly magnetic, and friction with the earth could perhaps create an electro-magnetic effect.

The jewel is connected in the legend with the anthill, a favorite haunt of the Cobra. Anthills are often seen decorated with flowers, and small offerings of food are displayed near the base when it is known that a Cobra is in residence. Anthills, as well as indicating the presence of underground water, exist as mythical entrances to an exotic, sensuous, subterranean world called Patala, or the Netherworld, home of the Nagas. Patala is symbolic of gold and the earth’s minerals which energize the terrain and fertilize it. It is from a fissure in the anthill that the rays of light from the jewels in the Cobra’s heads shine forth, and coming in contact with the rain clouds, which represent the ‘pure water of wisdom’, they form the rainbow. In Vedic times a rainbow was known as ‘Indra’s Bow’, Indra being the first-born of the Gods.


Patala also represents the ‘shadow world’. Shadows enable light to manifest itself and give it objective reality, just as wisdom can only manifest itself in the face of ignorance. As anthills also represent ‘the confusion of humanity’, much like the Tower of Babel in Christian belief, it is therefore necessary that the Cobras be identified with the shadow world to be the instructors of humanity.


Cobras belong to the Elapidae family of snakes which includes Mambas, Kraits, Tiger Snakes and Coral Snakes. They are oviparous, or egg laying, and have rigid fangs. Cobras do not hear in the ordinary sense as they have no extended ears. It is believed that the torigue plays an important part in acting as an antennae for vibrations, or that the snake is hypersensitive to earth vibrations. The flute, therefore, is not heard by the snake. Some feel that it is the movement of the flute which fascinates it. Snakes do respond to quick movements. There is also the possibility that the vibrations of the flute being played tend to alert and annoy the snake.