[Hindu] Daksha probably began as one of the pre-Vedic deities of India. In Vedic and post-Vedic times he took on differing characteristics. He is named as one of the Prajapatis, the lords of creation, and is one of the children of Aditi. Later he became one of the Rishis, and is the son of Brahma, having been born of the creator-god's right thumb. He may have had aspects as a creator-god or sun god himself at one point, but these are only alluded to. Daksha is best-known as the father of numerous daughters with his consort Prasuti. Many of these daughters married gods, and Daksha proved on more than one occasion to be a very overprotective father, sometimes at the expense of his son-in-law. Twenty-seven of his daughters were the stations of the moon, and were wed to Soma in his capacity as moon god. Soma tended to favor one of these daughters, Rohini. Daksha learned of this and was terribly upset that Soma was neglecting his other daughters. He cursed Soma with consumption so the god...
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Daksha Daksa (Sanskrit) [from
daksh to be able, strong] Adroit, able, intelligent, clever; used as a proper noun, intelligent power or ability. One of the chief prajapatis, cosmic creative intelligences, spiritual entities; the synthesis or aggregate of the terrestrial progenitors, including the pitris.
Daksha signifies the intelligent or competent, but usually carries with it the idea of creative or evolving power. "He is a son of Brahma, and of Aditi, and agreeably to other versions, a self-born power, which, like Minerva, sprang from his father's body. . . . the Rig-Veda says that 'Daksha sprang from Aditi and Aditi from Daksha,' a reference to the eternal cyclic re-birth of the same divine Essence" (SD 2:247).
As the progenitor of real physical man, Daksha was son of the Prachetasas and Marisha, the first of the "egg-born." He "establishes the era of men engendered by sexual intercourse. But this mode of procreation did not occur suddenly, as one may think, and required long ages before it became the one 'natural' way. Therefore, his sacrifice to the gods is shown as interfered with by Siva, the
destroying deity,
evolution and progress
personified, . . . Virabhadra, 'abiding in the region of the ghosts (etherial men) . . . .
created from the pores of the skin (Romakupas), powerful Raumas, (or Raumyas).' Now, however mythical the allegory, the Mahabharata, which is history as much as is the Iliad, shows the Raumyas [hairy ones] and other races, as springing in the same manner from the
Romakupas, hair or skin pores. . . .
to be continue "
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