Spouts carved in the form of a makara, a mythological aquatic creature, are common features at Indonesian monuments. Water, because of its life-giving quality, has a close association with the holy ambrosia that flows out of the cosmic mountain. It is the mythological center of the universe and the residence of the supreme god. In the East Javanese period, the makara shape tended to be overgrown with vegetation, which signify Life and Growth. It became superimposed by a rock-motif that stands for the cosmic mountain. By the fourteenth century, the three forms, i.e. the makara, plants and mountain, often merged into one another, forming an intricate ensemble of rich and fantastic designs.
In this present case, one sees such e phenomenon of the three basic themes overlapping one another. The emphasis, nevertheless, lies on the mountain, the holy significance of which is underlined by the presence of a cave containing an enthroned linga, the symbol of Siva.

See illustration