Meditation - Protection From Sun Heat by Snake

  After this initiation, Janardan Swami advised Eknath to go to the mountain peak named "Sulabha" near Daulatabad and perform penance there after taking bath in the lake known as Suryakund which existed there. According to his Guru's orders Eknath started his penance on the Sulabha Mountain. When he would sit for meditation and go into the trance, he would know nothing that would happen round about him. During that period he would, so to say, be outside this world. So once when he sat for meditation, one big serpent came to him and opened his hood on his head in order to protect him from the Sun. One farmer, who happened to see this, shouted aloud and because of that noise Eknath moved his body. Knowing that Eknath was coming out of his trance, the serpent vanished. When the farmer told this story to Eknath he said that he did not know anything about this as he was deeply in trance during that period. He also said to the farmer that this must be the arrangement made by God to protect him from the heat of the Sun. After observing penance in this fashion for a few days, one day he God himself stood before Eknath in human form. Eknath at once bowed down to him and went back to his Guru according to his instructions. Janardan Swami was glad to know the progress of his disciple and he told him that he has reached a sufficiently high level in concentration of mind & meditation and that he can now proceed for a pilgrimage along with him.