Studies in Indian Art c13.s3.18

c13.s3.18

It is clear from the above that there was a deep-seated superstitious belief in Laṅkā that the destruction of the *Pañcha-vaktra Dāru* which formed part of the chief entrance to the capital, would result in the death of Rāvaṇa, the ruler of the kingdom. The apparent meaning of *Pañchavaktra* is 'five-faced', but it was an architectural term meaning the decorative motif of a lion's face carved on the lintels of doorways or frienzes of buildings. A lion is called *pañchānana* or *pañchāsya* because of its wide gaping mouth (the word *pañcha* being derived from *pachi vistāre*, *Rāmāśrami* commentary to the *Amarakośa*)¹. The *Pañcavaktra* motif was the same as the *Kirtimukha* motif of ancient Indian art. Originally the word *Kirti* signified an excavated *chaitya*-hall, and then a temple or palace, and its earliest use in the sense is recorded in a copper-plate inscription from Kanheri dated A.D. 493: तात्कीर्तिः स्थिरेयं भजतु शुभकरी सत्सुतं पुष्यनाम्नः ।