BAS-RELIEF EN PIERRE NOIRE SCULPTEE

Compare to a similar Pala sculpture published by Stella Kramrisch in 'Manifestations of Shiva', 1981, p. 83, where the author identifies the scene as Shiva Grahapati or Lord of the House, one of Shiva's avatars. A sage and his wife Suchismati worshipped a lingam in the hope of producing a son with Shiva's qualities. Shiva hearing the prayers, appeared above the lingam reborn as a young child.
Susan Huntington illustrates another example in 'The Pala-Sena Schools of Sculpture', 1984, fig. 248, and notes that the correct identification of the figures has been subject to debate. Epigraphic evidence also suggests that the scene depicted is Gauri with Sadyojata Shiva.