Chandrakalaa: Keertimukha - The Face of Glory

March 25, 2020

This post had been a draft, pending formatting since last year. For this post, I am turning into the Narada muni (नारद मुनि) and tell the story of the monster face, Keertimukha (कीर्तिमुख) - the face of glory.

Keertimukha is used as a design motif extensively in the Gopurams in Hindu temple architecture. I mostly saw it in temples built in South Indian architecture, but I could spot it in the North India as well. Outside of India, it is also found in the Buddhist architecture in China, Tibet, Indonesia, Nepal, etc.

Look for the top most entity in the Gopuram picture below. The picture is of Arunachaleshwara temple in Tiruvannamalai. Added more pictures with Keertimukha at the end of the post.

Arunachaleshwara temple - look at the top most entity in the sky

The story of Keertimukha (कीर्तिमुख) is mentioned in multiple Hindu purananas. The story below is from the Padma Purana (पद्म पुराण). I haven't read the Purana but I added the relevant excerpts below. There are inconsistencies in the stories but the symbolism is probably more important. To me symbolism is a great source of understanding. Symbolism is capable of making one understand the thing that can't be expressed in words or definitions.

Keertimukha is connected with the asura Jalandhara (जलन्धर - one who holds water). Keertimukha's story is an incident inside the tale of Jalandhara. Jalandhara is first mentioned when Narada goes to see the Pandavas in the Kamyaka forest (काम्यक वन). Distressed Yudhishthira (युधिष्ठिर) asks Narada that which one of their actions made them fall for this. Narada then asks him to leave the grief as even the Gods had to deal with their share of grief.

ईश्वरोपि हि न स्थायी पीड्यते देहसंचयैः।

न दुःखरहितः कश्चिद्देही दुःखसहो यतः।।

He gives Yudhishthira the example that the Sun gets eclipsed by Rahu, even Rahu's (originally known as Svarbhaanu) head was cut by Vishnu when he falsely drank the nectar during Samudra Manthanam. Vishnu also was thrown into the deep ocean by brave Jalandhara, who himself was then killed by Shiva.

शरीरं सवितुर्यस्माद्राहुस्तद्ग्रसते बली।

राहोरपि शिरश्छिन्नं शौरिणामृतभोजने।।

सोऽपि शार्ङ्गधरो देवः क्षिप्तः सागरगह्वरे।

जालंधरेण वीरेण निहतः सोऽपि शंभुना।।

Yudhishthira became curious about Jalandhara. Narada then tells him the story of Jalandhara's birth. The same event can be found described with multiple stories in different places and in different ways in the Uttara Khanda (उत्तर खण्ड). The stories that are mentioned below are one of the versions of the same story or events described differently in two different places (Chapter 3 and Chapter 99).

Story of Jalandhara's Birth

The story starts with Indra (इन्द्र) visiting Shiva on Mount Kailash. Indra along with other gods performed a beautiful dance in front of Shiva. Shiva was pleased and asked Indra that he can ask for a boon. Indra was quite proud of his power and asked Shiva for a battle in which he would get to fight against a powerful person like Shiva.

यत्र त्वत्सदृशो योद्धा तद्युद्धं देहि मे प्रभो।

Shiva granted him the boon. Indra then left from Kailash but Shiva was angry with Indra's arrogance and then his anger manifested as a body in front of him. It asked Shiva for what it should do for him. Shiva then gave that body the order to go and conquer Indra after reaching the Ocean.

Meanwhile, the River Ganga meets Ocean and a brave son comes into existence from Ganga. The boy cried so loudly that even the earth shook and Brahma (ब्रह्मा) came out of his meditation. Brahma then goes to the Ocean and asks why the ocean was crying. Ocean replies that it isn't him but his mighty son that is roaring. Ocean gives his son to Brahma and the child grabs Brahma's beard. Brahma wasn't able to get the hands of the child off his beard. Brahma named him Jalandhara as the tears came out of his eyes when his beard was shaken by this child.

नेत्राभ्यां विधृतं यस्मादनेनैतज्जलं मम।
तस्माज्जलंधर इति ख्यातो नाम्ना भवत्यसौ।।

So this is the story of how the powerful Jalandhara was born. Note, he was born because of Shiva's anger. He also got the boon from Brahma that Gods will not be able to conquer him. Later he became friends with Rahu who acted as his messenger. This Jalandhara was the one that also fought in a war with Indra and other Gods. So how is Jalandhara connected to the story of Keertimukha who is the star of this post?

Story of Keertimukha

Once Narada muni tells Jalandhara that he had been to Mount Kailash and had seen Shiva whose beautiful wife Parvati is like a gem and doesn't compare to any of the gems the mighty king like Jalandhara has. This makes Jalandhara full of lust and he sends his messenger Rahu to Mount Kailash. Rahu on meeting with Shiva tells him that Parvati, the daughter of Mount Himalaya is like a gem and only suits to be with Rahu who is the lord of jewels.

श्मशानवासिनो नित्यं मुंडमालाधरस्य च।

दिगंबरस्य ते भार्या कथं हैमवती शुभा।।

अहं रत्नाधिनाथोऽस्मि सा च स्त्री रत्नसंज्ञका।

तस्मान्ममैव सा योग्या नैव भिक्षाशिनस्तव।।

Shiva grew angry and a fierce man was produced from the space between his eyebrows. The face of this man was like that of a lion, his tongue was moving, his eyes were fierce and he was great. His hair was upright, body dry and he was like Narasimha.

सिंहास्यः प्रचलज्जिह्वः सज्वलन्नयनो महान्।

ऊर्ध्वकेशः शुष्कतनुर्नृसिंह इव चापरः।।

The man was about to eat Rahu when Rahu became full of fear and asked Shiva for his protection. Shiva being the protector for anyone who seeks it, asked the fierce man to not kill Rahu as he is just a messenger and dependent on someone else. Rahu then left from there but the man was still hungry and asked Shiva, his master, about what he should eat now.

क्षुधा मां बाधते स्वामिन्क्षुत्क्षामश्चास्मि सर्वथा।

किं भक्ष्यं मम देवेश तदाज्ञापय मां प्रभो।।

Shiva casually asks him to eat his own hands and feet.

संभक्षयात्मनः शीघ्रं मांसं त्वं हस्तपादयोः।

The man then ate his hands and feet and only his head remained. Shiva, unaware of what the man did, looked at him with just the head left, was pleased with his devotion and obedience and said, "With the name of 'Keertimukha' you remain at my door always. Those who do not honor you, do not do what is dear to me".

त्वं कीर्तिमुखसंज्ञो हि भव मद्द्वारगः सदा।

त्वदर्चां नैव कुर्वंति नैव ते मत्प्रियंकराः।।

Since then Keertimukha remains at the door of the Lord. You can spot him above or near Shiva in the pictures below.

Narada concludes his talk with Yudhishthira: O king, I have told you the tale of Jalandhara, the hero of the world to remove your grief. Now you must remember that as long as the body lasts, one being influenced by that, will experience pains and pleasures. O king, there is no greater protection than knowledge. Even Krishna and others experienced pain and pleasure when bound in the body.

तुभ्यं दुःखनिरासाय प्रोक्तमाख्यानमुत्तमम्।

यावद्देहोस्ति कर्माणि सुखदुःखानि कर्मतः।।

देही भुंक्ते वशो राजन्त्राणं न ज्ञानतः परम्।

कृष्णादीनां देहबंधे सुखदुःखादि वर्तते।।

Below are more pictures from my previous trips where I found Keertimukha.