ORIENTAL SERIES.

78
DAKSHA.
ing." The gods and Jfo'shis humbly propitiated him, and when
he was appeased " they apportioned to him a distinguished share
in the sacrifice, and through fear resorted to him as their refuge."
In another part of the same work the story is again told with
considerable variation. Daksha instituted a sacrifice and apportioned
no share to Rudra (Siva). Instigated by the sage Dad-
hichi, the god hurled his blazing trident, which destroyed the
sacrifice of Daksha and fell with great violence on the breast
of Naraya^a (Vishnu). It was hurled back with violence to
its owner, and a furious battle ensued between the two gods,
which was not intermitted till Brahma prevailed upon Eudra
to propitiate Narayawa. That god was gratified, and said to
Rudra, " He who knows thee knows me ; he who loves thee
loves me."
The story is reproduced in the Purawas with many embellish-
ments. Daksha instituted a sacrifice to Vishnu, and many of
the gods repaired to it, but Siva was not invited, because the
gods had conspired to deprive him of sacrificial offerings. The
wife of Siva, the mountain goddess Uma, perceived what was
going on. Uma was a second birth of Satl, daughter of Daksha,
who had deprived herself of life in consequence of her father's
quarrel with herself and her husband, Siva. Uma urged her
husband to display his power and assert his rights. So he
created Yira-bhadra, " a being like the fire of fate," and of most
terrific appearance and powers. He also sent with him hundreds
and thousands of powerful demigods whom he called into existence.
A "
terrible catastrophe followed the ; mountains tottered,
the earth shook, the winds roared, and the depths of the sea
were disturbed" The sacrifice is broken up, and, in the words
of Wilson, "Indra is knocked down and trampled on, Yama has
his staff broken, Saraswati and the Matn's have their noses cut
off, Mitra or Bhaga has his eyes pulled out, Pushan has his
teeth knocked down his throat, Chandra (the moon) is pummelled,
Vahni's (fire's) hands are cut off, Bhngu loses his beard, the
Brahmans are pelted with stones, the Prajapatis are beaten, and
the gods and demigods are run through with swords or stuck
with arrows." Daksha then, in great terror, propitiated the
wrathful deity and acknowledged his supremacy. According to
some versions, Daksha himself was decapitated and his head
thrown into the fire. Siva subsequently restored him and the