give a few out of the many legends found in the sacred books in which his character and works are described. From these we may learn something of the idea of the age in which they were written respecting Siva.

Rudra, according to the Ramayana, married Uma, the daughter of Daksha, who reappears in various stages of the life of Siva as Parvati, Durga, Kali, etc. Fearing that the children of such parents would be dangerous to live with, the gods entreated Siva and Uma to live a life of chastity: to this they consented. The request, however, came too late to prevent the birth of Kartikeya. Uma declared that the wives of the other gods should also be childless. Rudra took a prominent position at the churning of the ocean; he drank the poison, as nectar, that was produced before the amrita, which caused his neck to become dark-coloured--hence one of his names is Nilkanta, "the blue-necked."

As Uma was sitting with her husband in their home on Mount Kailasa, seeing the gods driving by in their chariots, she was told that they were proceeding, at her father's invitation, to take part in a great sacrifice he was about to make. As Siva had offended him, Daksha had not invited him. The "Bhagavata Purana" [**] gives the cause of this slight upon Siva: "On one occasion the gods and Rishis were assembled at a sacrifice celebrated by the Prajapatis. On Daksha's entrance, all rose to salute him excepting his father Brahma and Mahadeva (Siva). Daksha, after making his obeisance to Brahma, sat down by his command, but was offended at the treatment he received from Siva. Seeing him previously seated, Daksha did not brook this want of respect; but looking at him obliquely with his eyes, as if consuming him, thus spake: 'Hear me, ye Brahman