DAKSHA One of the Rishis, Daksha was the son of Brahma, springing from the god's right thumb, but he was condemned to go through a rebirth as a result of a curse laid on him by Shiva, his son-in-law. This had to do with the inadvertent exclusion of the Destroyer from a sacrifice to Vishnu, for which the god retaliated to devastating effect, laying low most of the gods gathered there. Daksha himself was decapitated, and his head thrown in the sacrifical fire. After due apology and entreaty, Shiva agreed to restore his victims, but as Dashka's head could not be found, he had to make do with that of a ram.