A proponent of the Shaivite cult, Lakulisha is often considered the founder of the Pashupata sect. According to the Linga Purana, he is the final avatar of Shiva and is associated with yoga. He is depicted as a naked yogi, either seated or standing, holding a staff in his left hand and a citron fruit in the right. His urdhavalinga, or erect phallus, is a distinctive part of his iconography and represents the vital energies associated with saintly celibacy.