Rescue of Markandeya

The excellent, intelligent, always well behaving young Markandeya was destined to die at the age of sixteen. The boy was a devote follower of Shiva, so the god protected him from death for a long time. When finally Jama personally came for Markandeya to drag him away with a rope, the noose accidentally got caught on the Siva-lingam and pulled it away. Out of the linga the angry Shiva himself burst out, almost destroying Yama, the god of death. He pardoned Jama on the condition that he would preserve the life of his faithful follower forever. The picture shows god Shiva advancing from the linga, on his right with the pious Markandeya, behind him probably his mother, on the left is Yama on a bull's back with drawn sword. High artistic quality brass relief.