The Shivalingam is enshrined in a cave within the main cave in Elephanta off the Mumbai coast. The Shivalingam denotes the primeval energy of the Creator. For further details on the Shivalingam click on http://www.templenet.com/beliefs/shivling.htm
The central recess holds the most famous and remarkable sculpture of this period known as the Mahesh-murti. It is a colossal bust of the three forms of Siva, the aghora, turbulent and fearsome; tatpurusha, benign and meditative and vamadeva, mild pleasing and lovable.