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Gandaberunda (Sanskrit: गण्डभेरुण्ड, romanized: Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa, lit. 'terrible hero/terrible-cheeked') or Bheruṇḍa (Sanskrit: भेरुण्ड, lit. terrible) is a two-headed bird in Hindu mythology, believed to possess immense magical strength. Later Vaishnava traditions hold it to be a form of Vishnu to fight Sharabha (In Shaiva tradition, Sharabha is a form of Shiva taken to pacify Vishnu's Narasimha avatar).
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The Gandaberunda was the emblem of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore under the Wodeyar kings, and after India attained independence, it was retained by the Mysore state as its emblem. The aforementioned state was enlarged in 1956 and renamed Karnataka in 1973, and the Gandabherunda continues to be the official state emblem of Karnataka. It is used as the official emblem of the Karnataka state government. It is believed to represent resilience against the forces of destruction. It appears as an intricately carved sculpture motif in Hindu temples.
A sculpture depicting a Gandaberunda is found on the roof of the Rameshwara temple in the temple town of Keladi in Shimoga District, the capital of the Keladi Nayakas. The Gandaberunda was also used by the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore as the Royal emblem. The Karnataka Government adopted this symbol as the state symbol
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