The ascetic is shown on one of the pillars with a long beard and what seems like a jata. A kamandala is tied to one of his shoulders through a rope. He wears nothing but a kopina/loin cloth and the sacred thread janeyu, shown quite prominently. Janeyu reminds us that the lineage of ascetics in the Pashupata sect has been predominantly Brahmins, right from the time of Lakulisha and his four disciples and even Lakulisha has been elsewhere depicted in this temple with a prominent janeyu. The bare minimum clothing and kamandalu are signifiers of his asceticism.
A royal figure who is heavily jeweled in the tribhanga pose with damaged hands. Whether this is a representation of the patron, King Vigraharaja IV, is a matter of pure speculation.
A royal figure who is heavily jeweled holding a garland. Whether this is a representation of the patron, King Vigraharaja IV, is a matter of pure speculation.
The only major image depicting the divinity of Shiva is a four-armed portrayal of Bhairav on a temple shaft near the entrance of the temple, in the mandapa, and is practically the first religious image one encounters when visiting the temple. He wears the necklace of a serpent, but other identifying attributes have deteriorated over time. His heavily jeweled naked body clearly reveals his genitalia.
The lintel of the sanctum-doorway shows a two-armed depiction of Lakulisha seated in padmasana in dhyanmudra, carrying a lakuta, or club, in his left hand and a fruit in his right hand—part of his standard iconography—inside a niche on the lalatabimba. On either side of the lintel is a four-armed depiction of Brahma on the left and of Vishnu on the right. Replacement of the image of Shiva with Lakulisha at the lintel niches of the sanctum doorway was once a common feature of the Pashupata tradition.
Unlike other apsaras (celestial damsels) carved on the shaft of pillars, she is the only one crowned and holds a cup in her left hand while the right-hand holds something dipped in the cup. Several images from the Harshnath Temple Complex show a cup being held, signifying the nectar of bliss experienced after the completion of tantric-sadhana, while the fingers of the other hands are sometimes dipped into the cup. However, associating an obscure image of a damsel with some tantric connotations might have a little support.
On one of the pillars in the mandapa of the Bisaldeo Temple is a short inscription that mentions the name of ‘Jogi Achpantadhaja’ or ‘Yogi Achintyadhvaja'.
This interesting fragment depicts a senior ascetic, likely a Shaiva ascetic, positioned in the extreme right corner, delivering a sermon to a lady. To his left, there appears to be his disciple showing reverence to his guru. Following them, there is a series of garland bearers and musicians facing the venerable guru. Despite some damage to the fragment, it appears that the guru is not a simple human but a divine being with four arms. He seems to be holding a snake and trident in his upper two hands. It cannot be ascertained whether the figure is Shiva delivering a sermon to a lady, possibly Parvati, or if he is Lakulisha.