AJAMUKHĪ (AJĀMUKHĪ).
1.
Genealogy. Descended from Viṣṇu thus: Brahmā-
Marīci-Kaśyapa-Ajāmukhī.
2)
Birth Long ago in the battle between Devas and
Asuras one of the routed Asuras had fled to Pātāla (Hell).
Surasā was his daughter. Brahmā's grandson, Kaśyapa
married Surasā. She gave birth to six children—Śūrapa-
dmā, Siṃhikā, Siṃhavaktra, Tārakāsura, Ajāmukhī, and
Gomukha. The Asura woman Ajāmukhī is one of them.
3)
Chief events. (1)
Marriage with Durvāsas. Once
Śūrapadmā called his two brothers, Siṃhavaktra and
Tārakāsura and ordered them to set up two cities, one
to the north and the other to the south, of Mahāmeru.
In obedience to his elder brother, Tārakāsura started
with one half of the army and set up a city to the south
of Mahāmeru. That city was named Māyāpura. Siṃha-
vaktra lived in the city on the northern side of Mahā-
meru. Their sister Ajāmukhī went about enticing men to
satisfy her lustful passion. Once, in the course of her
wanderings, she met Durvāsas in the Himālayan valley.
They fell in love and even married. The two Asuras,
Ilvala and Vātāpi were born from their union. They
insisted on sharing their father's achievements between
them. Durvāsas cursed them that they would die at the
hands of Agastya. (Skanda Purāṇa, Asura Kāṇḍa).
(2)
The cutting off of Ajāmukhī's hands. While wandering
with her lustful passion, Ajāmukhī once went to the Śiva
temple at Kāśi. There she happened to meet Indra's
wife, Śacīdevī. In order to give her to her brother,
Śūrapadmā, Ajāmukhī caught hold of Śacīdevī. Śacī-
devī screamed aloud. Suddenly Śiva appeared there
with His sword. Even then Ajāmukhī refused to release
Śacīdevī. Śiva rescued Indrāṇī (Śacīdevī) by cutting off
Ajāmukhī's hands. Hearing this, Śūrapadmā sent his
army and imprisoned the Devas. The imprisoned
Brahmā at the instance of Śūrapadmā, restored Aja-
mukhī's hands. Śūrapadmā's son, Bhānugopa fought
against the remaining Devas and defeated them. (Skanda
Purāṇa, Asura Kāṇḍa).