Here we see Shiva in all his glory riding his vehicle Nandi, the bull. He radiates divine energy in this benevolent form. A crescent moon sits upon his brow. Serpents adorn his hair and his neck. The image of god has to be perfect and the artist has endowed him with a perfect muscular body and a rounded gentle face. The three eyes of Shiva represent the sun, moon and fire. As he holds one hand in the gesture of protection, he holds the trident and the drum in the other.
Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva is white as snow with a huge body and soft brown eyes. Its neck is thick and the short horns are hard, sharp enough to tear the earth (reference in Meghadoota). It has broad shoulders and sleek slides. The bull is the embodiment of the sex impulse. But Shiva is the master of lust. He rides on the bull. According to the Mahabharata, the bull was given to Shiva by Daksha also known as Prajapati.
The image of Shiva is against a huge Shiva linga, the aniconic form of the god. In the background is the cave out of which Shiva emerges after years of meditation, the dull brown of the background complimenting the brightness of the foreground.
This description by Kiranjyot.
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