KIRTIMUKHA THE FACE OF GLORY

Dr. Gautama Vajracharya has conducted research into one of the

most fascinating features in South Asian temple architecture. This is
the great variety of Kirtimukhas with snakes or creepers and plants
around his fierce face that can be seen in his native Nepal and
many other South Asian countries like India, Thailand, Burma,
Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Bali and others. Two important collections of
this architectural feature are housed in the Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai and the Jnanapravaha
Centre

for

Cultural

Studies

and

Research

in

Varanasi.

Dr,

Vajracharyas research unveils the continuous thread connecting the

cultures of all these countries which have a common heritage of
religion and culture both resulting in various forms of temple art
and architecture. Dr. Vajracharyas research has also turned the light
of discovery on the contribution of the Newari community of Nepal
to which he belongs in creating this and other important
architectural

motifs

in

temples.

By Vimla Patil
In most temples of the Indian sub-continent, when one crosses the
main entrance or reaches the garbhgriha or the sanctum which is
often dark and cavernous, one sees a Torana or Prabhavali made
of wood or stone. The Torana or Prabhavali is created to decorate
the entrance and carries motifs like snakes, creepers, birds and
flowers. At the centre of the formation of these elements, is featured
a face and strangely, this face is frightening and has the features
of many animals like the lion, the tiger or a mixture of both or even
an imaginary fearful creature. This face belongs to Kirtimukha, or
the face of glory as per the architectural studies of temples in all
South Asian countries. Kirtimukha can feature on the outside Torana
or the Prabhavali in the Garbhagriha or sanctum of the temple. In
spite of the fearsome appearance of the creature which comes from
the rich and ornate imagination of sculptors, Kirtimukha is

considered a fortunate and auspicious motif and thus welcomes

devotees to the temple or guards over the actual deity in the
temple.
As is common, there is a legend behind this creature and its
appearance. In Indias rich basket of stories and legends, asuras or
demons are ever present in every story than concerns the gods. It is
said that both the demons and gods are created from the same
cosmic matter. However, the Rakshasas or demons are different
because they do not accept the divinity of cosmic energy or the
self as defined in Indian spirituality. This basic similarity and yet
the difference between the gods and demons explains how this
gruesome creature called the Face of Glory has come to occupy the
pride of place in every holy shrine in several countries. The demons,
says the legend further, are given to perverted pleasures and are
busy throughout their lives satisfying their materialistic and carnal
desires. In the long run, the six enemies of a being lust, anger,
arrogance, jealousy and envy, greed and covetousness take them
on the path of destruction. Though they seem to enjoy their
existence for a while, they sink into a mire of darkness and finally
destroy themselves. Though strong and capable, the demons are
chaos creators and therefore end up destroying everything around
them and in the end, themselves too. In the legends of South Asian
culture, there are innumerable stories of demons fighting gods for
power and often proving to be more powerful than the gods. But in
the end, they consume all their energy in evil and are destroyed by
their own arrogance and foolhardiness. This actually cleanses the
universe

time

after

time

and

good

triumphs

over

evil.

The story of Kirtimukha follows the same pattern of thought. Legend

says that this demon was so powerful that he believed he could get
or own anything he desired. And one of the objects of this lust was
Parvati, the beautiful wife of Shiva. As his arrogance drove him, he
did not hesitate in seeking possession of the loveliest woman ever
born. Shiva, the ultimate form of purity by his very name,

challenged the power of the demons greed and ever-demanding

lasciviousness by creating an all-devouring fire that was never
happy and demanded more and more to consume and yet remained
dissatisfied. The demon was stunned to see this dramatization of his
own avarice and greed interpreted in front of him and tried to
escape from this new fire demon created by Shiva. But the fire
chased him, destroying and eating up everything that came in its
way. The demon, tired and worn out by the fire chase, understood
his own failures and appealed to Shiva, the pure, the essence of
meditation to save him. The ever-kind Shiva relented but he had
both the demon and the fire which threatened the universe with its
gaping avarice created by him facing him! Shiva first contained
the cosmic fire he had sent to chase the demon and kept it under
his

control.

Legend further says that the demon was then prepared to change
and earn Shivas blessings. But his hunger was gigantic and he had
to find a manner in which this could be satiated. Shiva, clever and
persuasive, told the demon that he could eat himself to satisfy his
hunger. The demon did exactly what Shiva said and began to eat his
own limbs one by one until only his face was left. There was no way
he could eat it. Shiva laughed at this plight of the demon and it is
said that his peal of joy shook the earth to create the Himalayas.
The legend points out an eternal truth of life. Every desire feeds on
the desired, relentlessly, continuously, forever. The six enemies of a
non-evolved being continue to gnaw the mind of every being and
lust, arrogance, greed, jealousy, anger and covetousness waylay
every being that allows these enemies to rule over his/her senses
and inner self. When this avaricious demon finally reached selfrealization he was blessed by Shiva that his face, remaining after
the demon ate up the rest of the body, would become a motif on the
Torana or Prabhavali of every temple to remind devotees that life
indeed consumes life. Desire consumes the desired and the cycle of
action goes on thus forever. Kirtimukha was the name given by

Shiva to this being. It is called the face of glory and tells the story of
the evolution of a person from being the home of the six cardinal
enemies to becoming the master over them, and thus earning a
place of glory. Realizing the damage done by ever-increasing and allconsuming hunger for objects of desire in mans progress towards
spirituality, many civilizations including that of Sumeria used
various stylized motifs to symbolize this story in their own way.
Often, it is illustrated by a snake swallowing its own tail. But the end
of the story is happy; once a person understands how the demon of
desire conquers and destroys the higher nature of a man or woman
and drives him or her to extremes, life becomes an enlightening
experience and the person begins his or her journey towards selfrealization. He or she knows that cultivating a deeper consciousness
of the true nature and purpose of life is to master ones desires and
control them.
In many temples and places of worship in South East Asian
countries, Kirtimukha is also the Green agent. His face, above the
deity or at the entrance of a temple, is surrounded by creepers and
trees which emerge from his mouth. He represents the ampleness of
life with birds and flowers surrounding his face. Often, even
residences have his face carved over the main door or his metal
face is hung in homes, facing south, the direction of Yama the God
of Death, to conquer evil and invite auspiciousness into a home.
Kirtimukha is an auspicious motif in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain
temples and traditions. He is the male aspect of the earth, which is
considered female. Even the Sufis consider a form of Kirtimukha
called Khwaja Khidur to be the greening power of the earth. They
believe that his footsteps bring greenery. Kirtimukha also symbolizes
forgiveness and forgetting of past agonies and hatred. To realize
the true significance of Kirtimukha, say experts, Is to have a
mature and complete understanding of the universe. He is an
experience that changes our lives by resolving all conflicts within us.
He is unique in his oneness. He is the guardian deity of all abodes of

gods and human beings. He is wisdom personified and the glory that
results from wisdom and self realization.

Kirtimukha in Nepal
Torana or Prabhavali of every temple to remind devotees that life
indeed consumes life. Desire consumes the desired and the cycle of
action goes on thus forever. Kirtimukha was the name given by
Shiva to this being. It is called the face of glory and tells the story of
the evolution of a person from being the home of the six cardinal
enemies to becoming the master over them, and thus earning a
place of glory. Realizing the damage done by ever-increasing and allconsuming hunger for objects of desire in mans progress towards
spirituality, many civilizations including that of Sumeria used
various stylized motifs to symbolize this story in their own way.
Often, it is illustrated by a snake swallowing its own tail. But the end
of the story is happy; once a person understands how the demon of
desire conquers and destroys the higher nature of a man or woman
and drives him or her to extremes, life becomes an enlightening
experience and the person begins his or her journey towards selfrealization. He or she knows that cultivating a deeper consciousness

of the true nature and purpose of life is to master ones desires and
control them.
In many temples and places of worship in South East Asian
countries, Kirtimukha is also the Green agent. His face, above the
deity or at the entrance of a temple, is surrounded by creepers and
trees which emerge from his mouth. He represents the ampleness of
life with birds and flowers surrounding his face. Often, even
residences have his face carved over the main door or his metal
face is hung in homes, facing south, the direction of Yama the God
of Death, to conquer evil and invite auspiciousness into a home.
Kirtimukha is an auspicious motif in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain
temples and traditions. He is the male aspect of the earth, which is
considered female. Even the Sufis consider a form of Kirtimukha
called Khwaja Khidur to be the greening power of the earth. They
believe that his footsteps bring greenery. Kirtimukha also symbolizes
forgiveness and forgetting of past agonies and hatred. To realize
the true significance of Kirtimukha, say experts, Is to have a
mature and complete understanding of the universe. He is an
experience that changes our lives by resolving all conflicts within us.
He is unique in his oneness. He is the guardian deity of all abodes of
gods and human beings. He is wisdom personified and the glory that
results from wisdom and self realization.

KIRTIMUKH IN THAILAND

KIRTIMUKH IN COMBODIA

KIRTIMUKH IN KARNATAKA