Sexual behaving in religious art concludes its inspiration not from the thoughtful symbolism of highly matured thought systems, but from those religious beliefs and practices which divulge the primeval connection between sex and religion.
The depiction of sex is one of the devices working for fertility aspiration. Alankara, abharana and bhushana, which means decoration, are connected with luck and prosperity. Decoration was determined favorable and evil-removing.
Shilpashastras, the Puranas and other conclusive texts have virtually or explicitly acclaimed both the auspicious (mangala, shubha) and protective-defensive (rakshartham-varanartham) aspects of erotic depictions. These performing were for pushti (prosperity, happiness) and shanti (pacification of evils calamities etc). The Agni Purana and the Brihatsamhita define mithunas and other auspicious alankaras to decorate the door. The Skanda Purana indicates the purpose of sexual depiction in the use of the word varanartham (warding away) in connection with lightening and other dangers.
Besides magico-religious purposes, sexual depiction was also affected by worldly interest in sex. The clear recognition of the bhoga (pleasure) aspect of sex in hindu culture is attested to by the fact that sex was openly experienced as an art. Numerous Kamasutras were written, dealing not only with marital sex, but also with pre-marital and extra-marital sex and relations with prostitute. Vatsyayana’s Kamasutra was tremendously popular and was considered an essential part of education.
Poets and dramatics were usually show their information of Kamasutras in their works. Not only kavyas but also charitas, prashastis and inscriptions on temples recording religious grants were suffused with sexual expressions.

Mithuna motif had a inclination to gradually disjoin itself from a magico-religious function and serve as an art motif. Its depiction on religious monuments was due to its original function as a symbol of fertility. The portrayal of mithunas gradually acquires artistic and sensuous touches.
Fruitfulness and fertility are still associated with erotic motifs though influenced by artistic renderings.

Feudal social conditions were the right soil for the progress of Puranic and Tantric religions. Under these religions a host of fertility and vegetation rites, agricultural utsavas, purificatory rites and local vratas were confirmed.

In Tantrism the way of maithuna was considered as a makara which was offered to the deity for gaining siddhis. Maithuna and other makaras were believed to please deities.
Mithuna was acclaimed as an favorable alankara in the art of all religions.
Maithuna was not yet established in the rules of temple art.
Tantrics were not supposed to show their sexual practices to the public. It is also clear that the maithuna couples do not symbolize any sexo-yogic poses. Their depiction was non-sensuous in appeal. The early representations of maithuna seem to be magico religious in function

There is an outburst of profuse and blatant depiction of maithuna and orgies in temple art from 900 A.D.
Tantric elements had initiated to enter into Puranic Hinduism more pronouncedly from the 8th-9th centuries A.D.
The erotic figures do not represent Ananda or the Eternal Bliss of non ual sahaja state. Very few of them are in sexo-yogic poses.

The sculptures of erotic temple belong to another art category , which is not tantric art, but art as affected by Tantrism without being functionally related to Tantric sadhana. In the period of Tantric atmosphere, the belief in the magical capability of sexual symbols and in their auspicious and luck bringing power was strengthen. The already prevalent depiction of erotic motifs in temple art got further driving force. Both Tantric and Non-Tantric temple could have sexual depictions in their art according to the regional shilpa-canons which were getting conventionalized during this period.
Under the power of magical beliefs, certain subject associated with fertility were brought into the depiction of erotic motifs. Unclean themes including orgies and bestiality became widespread from about 900 A.D.

A longer result of Tantrism was the general manner of permissiveness towards sex and the recognition accorded to love and care of the body (deha). Tantrism advocated the promotion of sexual devices for the fulfillment of non duality, this led to the adoration of sex in religious life in contrast to the condemnatory attitude of orthodox Hindu and early Buddhist traditions.

According to a myth, the Khajuraho temples were constructed to ward off the consequencies of extra marital love of Hemavati, the mother of the Chandella 1st king.

Erotic motifs received irrelevant and often crude treatment on the temples, indicating the rigidity of customs. The raw portrayal and unclean themes also possibly recommend the prevalence of beliefs in the magical effectiveness of obscenity in removing evils.
Sexual representation of the medieval temples is the result of configuration of several condition in the course of history.
The dominance of sexual subjects in religious art before the documented Tantric period shows the factors responsible for their presence were deeply established in Indian culture and wee brought to the fore by the influence of Tantrism. The prevalent use of magic in the Tantric age reaffirmed the traditional depiction of auspicious subjects and made possible the performing of maithuna and orgies. Further impulse to the portrayal of sexual themes was given by the sensual environment of the medieval temple, number of factors such as the glorification of purtadharma, the proliferation of land-owning feudal chiefs and rulers, their excessive expenditure on temple building, their love of exhibition expressed through structure of large temples decorated with intricate alankaras.
Conventionalism and regionalism also played an significant role in determining the demonstration of sexual motifs.