story of Kirtimukha

Kirtikumha at Ikkeri Aghoreshwara Devastana

Even after hundreds of temple visits Kirtimukha remained mysterious apart from the assumption that it's there to cast off evil eyes. Those ferocious faces popping eyes are bound to keep evil-eyes. However, the question of how it came into being stayed on.

Ikkeri Aghoreshwara Devastana

The mystery was addressed to an extent by a YouTube short video titled Kirtimukha: the glorious face at the temple gate in which Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev) narrates a story which goes like this:

Every Indian temple there is a face which is eating up its own arms which is called as the Kirtimukha. It once happened a certain Yogi too full of himself came and saw Shiva simply sitting there and he looked at him and provoked him with abuse. Shiva did not respond. Then he physically poked him and said you're simply sitting there because you're afraid of me. This went beyond point of irritation. So Shiva plucked a hair from his head and made a demon out of it. And he told the demon "Eat this Yogi. Eat him up. He should not be walking this planet."

The demon grew up within minutes and became huge and started chasing the yogi. Yogi was terrified. Then of course he came and fell at Shiva's feet and please save me. Don't let this demon eat me. Then Shiva immediately changed his mind and said "okay just leave him let him go." Then the yogi went away terrified.

Then the demon was standing there burning with hunger because he was created just to eat. So he said, "What am I supposed to do?" Shiva was already becoming still. He said, "You eat yourself." And then before Shiva could turn around and look at him, he started eating himself up. When he looked at him, everything of his body was gone. Only his face and two arms were left. So he looked at this "how quickly you ate yourself up. Only the face is left. You are the most glorious face. You are above all gods." 

It is from this that even today in almost every Indian temple there is a face which is eating up its own arms which is called as the Kirtimukha the glorious face.

Here's another example, a Kirtimukha from Bhimeshwara Devastana, Neelagunda.

Neelagunda Bhimeshwara Devastana

And a series of Kirtimukha at Aghoreshwara Devastana, Ikkeri where one tier of the temple base is dedicated to the glorious face.

Sadhguru's story has spiked my interest. During my future visits to temples, I'll surely pay more attention to Kirtimukha, it's many forms created by the ancient sculptures of our land.

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