the four-armed form of Siva depicted in relief holding a sword in his primary right hand, lingam, Nandi, sun and moon emblems above, flanked by diminutive figures of Daksha and Sati, sheltered by a cobra canopy with further head of Siva at the top, set into later carved wood frame 23 x 11.5cm approx. (plaque) For another plaque, similarly framed, sold in these rooms, see 14th July 2020, lot 85. Daksha had offended Siva at a sacrifice and his daughter. Sati, who was Siva's wife, felt so insulted that she threw herself on the pyre. Siva appeared as Virabhadra and cut off Daksha's head to avenge his wife. The gods pleaded for Daksha's life but his severed head could not be found, so the head of a goat was substituted instead.