Kirtimukha
Kirthimukham as the name symbolises "kirthi" means fame and Mukham means face. We can always spot kirthikmukham on Prabhavalli, the decorative arch which is placed around the statues of Gods and Goddess. kiritimukham is a lion faced demon with huge bulging eyes with a open mouth diclosing its sharp teeth and tongue. who is seen to be putting his claws into his mouth.
A long time ago, there was a king by the name Jalandhara who ruled over the sea. Jalandhara birth story is associated with shiva. Once Lord Indra was very proud that he was most powerful God in the heaven and King of Devas . He was vain full and boast and was afraid that people had forgotten him and started worshiping the Trimurthis. He was miffed that people worshiped Shiva, the Destroyer and was jealous about it. He marched towards Kailash with his Guru, Brihaspathi. Shiva knew about Indra arrival on Kailash and disguied himself as one of his Ganas. Indra approached Shiva who was disguised as a gana and started asking him about Shiva's whereabouts. seeing that the gana was not responding to him Indra got angry and tried to strike him with his Vajra Ayudham.
Indra and Brihaspathi felt that they could not move their arms and realised that the gana in front of them was no ordinary but Lord shiva himself and fell at his feet. Lord shiva had almost lost his temper and opened his third eye to burn Indra but he found that he had realised his folly and directed his anger towards the ocean. His potent anger which got deposited into the ocean soon transformed into a beautiful baby. the baby started crying and all the worlds were shaken by the sound. Lord Brahma, the creator sensed the sound and found the baby and took it in his arms. The baby was quite heavy and pulled his beard so hard that it brought tears to brahma's eyes. So he named the child as Jalandhara("one who brought tears").
Brahma prophesised that Jalandhara would rule the ocean and would only be defeated by Shiva.Jalandhara married Vrinda , the daughter of Kalnemi and became the Emperor of Danavas.Once he met Sage Brighu and he came to know about churning of ocean and how Asuras were cheated by Indra. he got angry and sent a messenger named Ghasmar to Indra to return all the wealth thats was taken by him during Samudramanthan.
Indra did not pay heed to Jalandhar's threat and it increased the fury of Jalandhar and he marched on Indra and defeated him badly with the help of Shukraacharya. Shukraacharya asked Jalandhar to submerge Dhrongiri mountain which supplied Brihaspathi his medicines. His loyalty towards his guru paved his way for success against Indra.
Indra and his cronies ran to Vishnu to help them but Goddess Lakshmi was against it as she considered Jalandhar to be her brother as she was also born out of the ocean. Vishnu fought with him for many decades and he was pleased with Jalandhar valour and gave him a boon that he would reside in Ksheer sagar with his wife forever.
Indra asked for help from Narayana bhakt , Narada who promised to help the Devas. Narada went to meet Jalandhar and told him about the beauty of Parvathi and she would only be suitable to be his bride. Jalandhar sent his envoy Rahu to Shiva to ask for hand of Parvathi. Shiva got angry with the proposal made by Rahu and pulled out a stran form his head which transformed into a huge fiercesome lion faced demon. the lion faced demon was so hungry and on instructions from Shiva he was about to eat up Rahu. Rahu fell at Shiva's feet for his life. Shiva forgave his mistake. the fierce demon beast was waiting for orders to eat up the Rahu but his lord had forgiven him. The demon asks Lord Shiva what he should as he is hungry. Lord Shiva who has gone to his ascetic mode coldly replied to him to eat himself up. The demon devours himself from his tails and goes a little bit up to his limbs, stomach and he was about to eat his arms. Shiva wakes from his trance and asks him to stop. The Danava has only his head and fingers put into his mouth left. Shiva grants him a wish pleased with his obedience that he will always be found above the Gods in the prabhavalli. Shiva named it as Kirtimukham and declared that it would be found on top of temples at the door of his temples. Kirtimukham is part of Shiva himself.
One should not confuse Kirtimukham with Simha mukham. Kirtimukham devours all the bad desires , thoughts tha a person as soon as he enters the inner sanctum. Kiritimukham is associated with consumption. The bulging eyes of the monstrous face strike a fear in the heart of bad intent people.
A long time ago, there was a king by the name Jalandhara who ruled over the sea. Jalandhara birth story is associated with shiva. Once Lord Indra was very proud that he was most powerful God in the heaven and King of Devas . He was vain full and boast and was afraid that people had forgotten him and started worshiping the Trimurthis. He was miffed that people worshiped Shiva, the Destroyer and was jealous about it. He marched towards Kailash with his Guru, Brihaspathi. Shiva knew about Indra arrival on Kailash and disguied himself as one of his Ganas. Indra approached Shiva who was disguised as a gana and started asking him about Shiva's whereabouts. seeing that the gana was not responding to him Indra got angry and tried to strike him with his Vajra Ayudham.
Indra and Brihaspathi felt that they could not move their arms and realised that the gana in front of them was no ordinary but Lord shiva himself and fell at his feet. Lord shiva had almost lost his temper and opened his third eye to burn Indra but he found that he had realised his folly and directed his anger towards the ocean. His potent anger which got deposited into the ocean soon transformed into a beautiful baby. the baby started crying and all the worlds were shaken by the sound. Lord Brahma, the creator sensed the sound and found the baby and took it in his arms. The baby was quite heavy and pulled his beard so hard that it brought tears to brahma's eyes. So he named the child as Jalandhara("one who brought tears").
Brahma prophesised that Jalandhara would rule the ocean and would only be defeated by Shiva.Jalandhara married Vrinda , the daughter of Kalnemi and became the Emperor of Danavas.Once he met Sage Brighu and he came to know about churning of ocean and how Asuras were cheated by Indra. he got angry and sent a messenger named Ghasmar to Indra to return all the wealth thats was taken by him during Samudramanthan.
Indra did not pay heed to Jalandhar's threat and it increased the fury of Jalandhar and he marched on Indra and defeated him badly with the help of Shukraacharya. Shukraacharya asked Jalandhar to submerge Dhrongiri mountain which supplied Brihaspathi his medicines. His loyalty towards his guru paved his way for success against Indra.
Indra and his cronies ran to Vishnu to help them but Goddess Lakshmi was against it as she considered Jalandhar to be her brother as she was also born out of the ocean. Vishnu fought with him for many decades and he was pleased with Jalandhar valour and gave him a boon that he would reside in Ksheer sagar with his wife forever.
Indra asked for help from Narayana bhakt , Narada who promised to help the Devas. Narada went to meet Jalandhar and told him about the beauty of Parvathi and she would only be suitable to be his bride. Jalandhar sent his envoy Rahu to Shiva to ask for hand of Parvathi. Shiva got angry with the proposal made by Rahu and pulled out a stran form his head which transformed into a huge fiercesome lion faced demon. the lion faced demon was so hungry and on instructions from Shiva he was about to eat up Rahu. Rahu fell at Shiva's feet for his life. Shiva forgave his mistake. the fierce demon beast was waiting for orders to eat up the Rahu but his lord had forgiven him. The demon asks Lord Shiva what he should as he is hungry. Lord Shiva who has gone to his ascetic mode coldly replied to him to eat himself up. The demon devours himself from his tails and goes a little bit up to his limbs, stomach and he was about to eat his arms. Shiva wakes from his trance and asks him to stop. The Danava has only his head and fingers put into his mouth left. Shiva grants him a wish pleased with his obedience that he will always be found above the Gods in the prabhavalli. Shiva named it as Kirtimukham and declared that it would be found on top of temples at the door of his temples. Kirtimukham is part of Shiva himself.
One should not confuse Kirtimukham with Simha mukham. Kirtimukham devours all the bad desires , thoughts tha a person as soon as he enters the inner sanctum. Kiritimukham is associated with consumption. The bulging eyes of the monstrous face strike a fear in the heart of bad intent people.
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