This is the terrifying moment a huge cobra was found curled in a cushion pillow.

Footage shows the highly venomous serpent hiding inside the cover of a headrest in a home in Maharashtra, India, on September 27.

The reptile emerged after being reached with an iron rod, displaying its hood and ready to strike.

Following the discovery, the family contacted a snake rescuer who safely removed the cobra from the bedroom.

Numerous species of cobra live on the Indian subcontinent. They are revered as mythical Nagas or snake-like beings in Hindu mythology, symbolising death and rebirth.

Cobra venom contains neurotoxins that target the nervous system by blocking the transmission of nerve signals to muscles.

The blockage leads to respiratory failure, suffocation, or cardiac arrest as the diaphragm and other muscles needed to breathe are paralysed.

Depending on the species, cobra venom can kill within 30 minutes to a few hours.