Daksha

   In Vedic myth one of the early gods who eventually became subordinated to Siva. Daksha was an Adityas, a Prajapati, and a Rishis. He was the father of Uma, the wife of Siva, and Diti, the wife of Kasyapa. There was a great quarrel between Daksha and his son-in-law, during which Siva, infuriated at not being invited to a great sacrifice which Daksha had organized, sent a monster, Vira-Bhadra, which cut off the head of Daksha. Subsequently the parties were reconciled but it was only possible for Daksha to be given a goat’s head in place of his own. This story was originally told of Rudra. His twentyseven daughters were brides of Chandra.