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Westerners would call this architectural structure of a Hindu Temple a steeple. Hindus would call it shikhara. Western Civilization's towers, spires, and domes decorate many churches and structures as well as Islamic minerets via their Roman roots. These are thought to be architectural remnants of ancient Mesopotamian ziggurats. Ancient Sumerians believed the gods honed in on these tall structures, particularly calling the tops of their artificial mountain-shaped ziggurats home.
Shikhara is a Sanskrit word that means mountain peak. The structure in my image above looks like a tall stylized mountain peak. (Hmmm, shikhara sounds to my ears quite similar to the word ziggurat. I wonder if there is an Indus-European language root connection.)
A sacred mountain top is where Hinduism would expect to more easily encounter divinities and receive glimpses into eternal law and right conduct. You know– like the West's Mount Olympus or Mount Sinai.
As I self-toured the nearby Hindu Temple of Atlanta, the image of Kirtimukha, or famous face, caught my eye so I took a photo. The fierce monster face with long fangs that sits on the very top of the tower, or shikhara, watches the entrance to the Hindu temple similar to what it does at many other Hindu temples. However, on this fierce Kirtimukha, Atlanta pigeons have taken a liking to its famous Indian face.
Built in the South Indian style, the Hindu Temple at Atlanta is devoted to the deities Venkateswara, Sridevi, Bhudevi, and Durga. This is the story of Kirtimukha, according to Wikipedia.
"The story of Kirtimukha begins when a great king Jalandhara, who 'by virtue of extraordinary austerities ... accumulated to himself irresistible powers.' [2] In a burst of pride, he sent forth his messenger, the monster Rahu, whose main task is eclipsing the moon, to challenge Shiva. 'The challenge ... was that Shiva should give up his shining jewel of a bride Parvati.'[3] Shiva's immediate answer was to explode a tremendous burst of power from his third eye, which created a horrendous, emaciated, ravenous lion. A terrified Rahu sought Shiva's mercy, which Shiva agreed to. But how then were they to feed the ravenous demon lion? 'Shiva suggested that the monster should feed on the flesh of its own feet and hands.'[4] So Kirtimukha willingly ate his body starting with its tail as per Lord Shiva's order, stopping only when his face remained. Shiva, who was pleased with the result gave it the name Face of Glory and declared that it should always be at the door of his temples. Thus Kirtimukha is a symbol of Shiva himself."
I find it fascinating on how Shiva rid the world of this demon monster. With all his power, Shiva did not shoot a destructive ray out of his own third eye to annihilate the demon beast to the last atom. No, rather, he had the monster unleash its forces on itself, to eat itself.
That was a very different strategy than when the Greek demigod Heracles, who was gifted with great brute force, met the Lernaean Hydra that Hera had grown just for the purpose of slaying Heracles. Every time Heracles cut off one of Hydra's heads two grew back in its place. Realizing he could not defeat such a self-generating beast by himself, Heracles' solution was to ally with Iolaus and have Iolaus cauterize each head as soon as Heracles cut it off so nothing would grow back. Heracles fended off the other heads as Iolaus cauterized a head. Heracles could then move onto the next head to battle and chop off.
Is Lord Shiva same as Lord Shankar? The ones who have become an embodiment of salvation for the Self and the others are called as the form of shiv bhagwan.
Explore the real nature of Lord Shiva in this page:-
English:- www.dadabhagwan.org/about/trimandir/lord-shiva/
Is Lord Shiva same as Lord Shankar? The ones who have become an embodiment of salvation for the Self and the others are called as the form of shiv bhagwan.
Explore the real nature of Lord Shiva in this page:-
English:- www.dadabhagwan.org/about/trimandir/lord-shiva/