From Formless to Form

A methodology for
giving Form to Ideas

Kirti Trivedi
Creating Visual Symbols

To convey the
Essence of an Idea
through a Form which would be
universally understood.
Vastusutra Upanishad
- a classical text on creating symbolic form (2nd Century AD)

Provides a detailed method for

giving Form to Formless
(invisible idea to visible form)
A form message
can be conveyed by

Mantra (Word Form/Sound Form)

Mandala (Geometric Diagram)

Murti (Icon or Image)

Main Features of the Method

Step-by-step Visualizing Procedure

The Concept of
Hierarchic and Semantic Grid

An Hierarchic Measurement System

Mantra can be

Beej-Mantra
(Seed syllable)

Dhyana-Mantra
(Description for meditation)
Beej-Mantra of Ganesha
(Seed syllable)
Dhyana-Mantra
(Description for
meditation)

Vakratunda
Mahakaya
Suryakoti
Samaprabha ..

Bent Head,
Big Bodied
Shining like a
billion suns ..
Mandala
Geometrical or structural diagram
of the thought or phenomena

Shri Ganesha Yantra

Mandala
Geometrical or structural diagram
of the thought or phenomena
Murti or
Pratima
An Icon or
an Image
Vastusutra Upanishad
When worship is done without bodily images,
the mind becomes particularly vitiated by
indiscriminate imagination. 1.7
The intention to worship (sankalpa) is the cause for
the imagination (vikalpa) (of the particular form of
god in which he is worshipped). 5.20
An Image should be envisaged
to express a specified meaning.
Who has the knowledge of
circle and line is a designer.
Vertical lines have the nature of fire,
horizontal lines have the nature of water,
diagonal lines have the nature of wind.
On the fire line upright forms are
produced.
On the horizontal lines forms having
fluidity and longing are produced.
On the diagonal lines
energetic forms are produced.
The world knows fire as a triangle form.
The character of the form
is the main aspect.
The lines have to be
arranged according to the character
of the image.
In the sacred songs the features
are revealed.
From the Realization
comes the Symbol.
The excellence of form becomes clear
in the act of meditation.
According to the form
the components have to be arranged.
In image making,
feeling has to be infused in the form.
Many variations develop of the mind,
because of which forms assumes many types.
In human beings,
it is the mental modification
which is most important.
The purpose of form-giving
is to make manifest the
attributes.
From the Formless arises the Form,
that is the result.
For making images,
a grid is most important,
according to the basic principles.
In a grid,
making divisions is the main work.
The various parts of the image should be
imagined within the grid.
The form appears within the grid of sixteen
compartments, this is best for making the images.
 Daiva
Kshetra

Jaya Jaya
Up-daiva Up-daiva

Brahma
Kshetra

Jaiva
Stuvaka Stuvaka
Kshetra

The compartments in the sixteenfold grid are of

five types: the main field, the higher beings,
the living beings, secondary higher beings, and the
worshippers.
 Higher This grid is a hierarchical
Beings and semantic grid.
Different parts of a given
space are not the same,
but have different
meanings, importance
Middle Middle and associations.
Beings Beings
Main
Different beings have
Field different importance,
which is not connected
with their physical size.
A physically small being
can be more important
Side Living Side
hierarchically.
Beings Beings Beings
Physical Grid

Only physical division of

space to arrange matter.

Hierarchical and
Semantic Grid

A grid to arrange
components according to
their importance and
meaning.
Ornamentation means
the decoration of divine images.
6.14
Decorated
Image of
Shri Nathji
From the ornamentation
(of the image) arises love.
6.15
Hand gestures manifest
the emotional attitude
of the image. 6.16
Hand
gestures
Hand
gestures
Hand
gestures
Hand
gestures
The badhra (weapons) communicate the power
of the figure. 6.17
Weapons in multiple hands communicate
the different powers of the deity
The principal types of
postures (asanas) are
six. 6.20
The vehicle is a
special means for
revealing the nature
of the figure. 6.20
 Nandi Bull:
Mouse: the vehicle of Shiva
the vehicle of Ganapati
Peacock:
the vehicle of Kartikeya
 Garuda:
the vehicle of Vishnu

Nandi Bull:
the vehicle of Shiva as
Ardhanarishwara
Attendant divinities
are secondary figures.
6.21
Vishnu surrounded by
attendant divinities
The connection (of
the main figure) with
adversaries should be
remembered. 6.23
 The Visualization Procedure
according to Vastusutra Upanishad

Realization of the principle to be visualized

(understanding it completely)

Verbal Articulation of
the attributes

Meditation on attributes and

generation of mental image

Projection of mental image

on a visual grid-field
 The Visualization Procedure
according to Vastusutra Upanishad

Making of the Basic Image

Enhancement of the Basic Image

through addition of attributes and details

Final Visualized Image

 VASTUSUTRA UPANISAD
The Essence of Form in Sacred Art

Alice Boner, Sadashiva Rath Sharma, Bettina Baumer

Motilal Banrasidass
Delhi, 1982