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.
The pillars in the mandapa of the Harshnath Temple lack homogeneity and may have been a later replacement. One of them is enriched with beautiful images of apsaras and female deities like Parvati, as seen in this image, within the niches of the pillar. Under these pillar niches are panels depicting musicians, dancers, celestial beings, deities such as Ganesha and ascetics. These Shaiva ascetics align with the overall Shaiva theme of the temple. The image also depicts an ascetic worshipping the shivalinga. A four-armed Parvati is depicted holding a kamaṇdalu and mala in her lower hands and likely flowers in the upper two hands. Flanking her on both sides are attendant dwarfs. Below this scene, an ascetic with long matted hairs is shown in deep adoration to Shiva.