This work represents an approach to a hitherto unexplored aspect of Hindu sculpture. Dealing with pre-medieval sculptures and leaving aside the historical, doctrinal and aesthetic aspects of this art, it concentrates exclusively on the question of composition. The principles of composition, which are here discussed and defined, have resulted from a careful analysis, carried on for a number of years, of the great sculptures of the Rock-Temples at Elūrā (Ellorā), Bādāmī, Mahābalipuram and others, that is to say of sculptures of the pre-medieval period of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa, Cāḷukya and Pallava schools.

It contains a demonstration of the principles described above, in the form of detailed analysis of twenty-one sculptures; each analysis is accompanied by a photograph of the sculpture with a short description of the subject matter, and by two line diagrams- one presenting the Space division or Measure and the other the Time division or Movement. Each of these divisions is described separately and then brought into a synthesis, on the basis of which the deeper content of the image can be explored.