When Words Become Form: Mantras, Verses, and the Art of Sound

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By Zeel Sundhani

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    • In Indian philosophy, sound embodies and initiates creation. It is unseen, yet felt, fleeting, yet eternal. The universe itself is believed to be born of vibration, Nada Brahma, the cosmic hum that holds everything together. In Islam, the beauty of the Quran does not lie only in its meaning but in its revelation through sound, each syllable carrying divine resonance.

    But sound is momentary, disappearing into the air as it is uttered. So, across cultures, artists have sought to make the fleeting eternal and timeless. A mantra painted as Om, a chant inscribed in yantras and scrolls, or Quranic verses written into the curves of calligraphy, each sound is crystallised into form. Instruments, geometry, dance and silence become visual echoes of what the ear cannot hold.

    This blog explores how sacred sounds are seen and how the divine voice moves from vibration to vision, from Om to Allah, weaving a tapestry of devotion across art and faith.

    Words of the divine: Mantras and Quranic verses

    The sacred sound of Om, also known as Aum, comprises three syllables, Aa, Uu and Mm, that can be produced without the use of the tongue, representing the forces of creation, maintenance, and destruction, represented by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The three syllables also represent the three genders, the three Vedas, three variables of time - past, present and future, different aspects of the body, different states of consciousness - waking, dream and deep sleep and a lot of other aspects.

    Chanting Aum is believed to create a vibration within the human body that attunes us with the cosmic vibration, inducing us to think universally. The momentary silence between each chant becomes palpable. The mind moves between the opposites of sound and silence until, at last, it ceases the sound. In the silence, the single thought, Om, is quenched, there is no thought. This is the state of trance, where the mind and the intellect are transcended as the individual self merges with the Infinite self in the pious moment of realization. It is a moment when the petty worldly affairs are lost in the desire for the universal. Such is the immeasurable power of Aum.

    Om and Swastik : Tanjore Painting by Sanjay Tandekar

    The following is the symbolism of Aum - the lower curve represents the waking state (Jagrat), symbolizing everyday reality and the physical world, associated with Brahma as creative energy, the present moment, and the practice of Karma Yoga, or action. The middle curve signifies the dream state (Swapna), representing the creative aspect of consciousness. This state is linked to Vishnu, the preserver of life, connected with the past, memory, and dreams, and the devotional path of Bhakti Yoga. The upper curve denotes the state of deep sleep (Prajna), transcending the material world. It is associated with Shiva as pure consciousness, the eternal and timeless dimension beyond worldly experience, and the yogic practice of meditation leading to self-realization. Above the curves lies the dot (bindu), representing transcendental consciousness (Turiya)—the singularity from which all forms arise. It is connected with Nirguna Brahman, the formless universal essence, and embodies the timeless truth that is beyond past, present, and future, realized through Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge. Separating the dot from the rest of the symbol is the half-moon, which represents Maya, the illusion and ignorance of our true nature.

    In the Tanjore painting below, Om is depicted with the Gayatri mantra. The Gayatri mantra is an invocation to goddess Gayatri, also called Veda Mata or the Mother of the Vedas - Rig, Yajur, Saam and Atharva, known to eliminate darkness by imparting light to our minds. It is believed that by chanting Gayatri Mantra, one can achieve success, happiness and sustainability. Having it written and displayed in the form of an artwork in any space aids in chanting, acting as a reminder to be grateful to the divine and meditate on the sun, the goddess of enlightenment and various aspects of the divine.

    Gayatri Mantra : Tanjore Painting by Sanjay Tandekar

    While sacred mantras exist as sound vibrations, yantras give these vibrations a visible form. They are geometric diagrams that embody the essence of sound, translating its unseen resonance into shape and symmetry. In this way, yantras become the visual counterpart to mantras, where the chant is heard, the yantra is seen, both carrying the same spiritual frequency. Through their precise lines and proportions, yantras capture the vibrational core of sacred utterances, allowing practitioners to experience sound not only through hearing but also through sight.

    The relationship between mantra and yantra is deeply intertwined, with one activating the other. Many yantras are enlivened only when accompanied by the chanting of specific mantras, as the sound energizes the form and awakens its symbolic power. For example, the Sri Yantra is often meditated upon alongside the repetition of Om or Devi mantras, each syllable harmonising with the layered triangles and lotus petals of the diagram. In this interplay, the mantra is the vibration, and the yantra is its form, its crystallisation, as they express the inseparable nature of sacred sound and sacred form together.

    Sri Yantra art in Yantra art by Vidya soni

    This intimate bond between sound and form is not unique to Indian traditions. In Islamic art, the recitation of Quranic verses finds visual expression through sacred calligraphy, where each curve and flourish reflects the rhythm of the divine word.

    In Islamic tradition, the Quran is considered the literal word of God, kalam Allah, revealed as sound, meant to be recited, chanted and heard. This recitation, tajwid, is itself an art form, with precise rules of rhythm, pitch and intonation that transform divine speech into a melodious experience. Since Islam discourages visual or figurative representation in sacred contexts, this divine sound is depicted in calligraphy. The flowing Arabic script becomes the visible voice of the Quran, carrying the same sanctity as its oral recitation. Each letter carries not just linguistic meaning but also the sacredness of prayer, with elongated strokes and spirals mirroring the rise and fall of recited verses.

    The name of the supreme god, Allah is considered the most sacred and encompassing of all divine names. In calligraphy, it is often written with heightened emphasis, enlarged or highlighted to reflect God’s centrality in faith. The visual repetition of Allah reflects the oral remembrance, dhikr, where devotees repeat the name in meditation, making it both a sound vibration and a sacred symbol.

    Allah: Calligraphy Artwork by Abdul Azeem

    Islamic tradition attributes 99 beautiful names to god, each expressing a different attribute — Al-Rahman- the compassionate , Al-Hakim - the wise, Al-Nur - the light etc. Reciting these names is a devotional practice, while inscribing them in art serves as a visual theology. Calligraphers often arrange the names in circular patterns, symbolizing the infinite and encompassing nature of god.

    Names of Allah: Calligraphy Artwork by Abdul Azeem

    The phrase Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, translating to “ In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate” opens nearly every chapter of the Quran. It is uttered before acts of worship, daily activities and creative work. Its recitation sanctifies intention. In calligraphy, it is rendered with elegance and flow to embody divine grace. The repetition of "Bismillah" eight times is no arbitrary choice, but a deliberate and profound expression of faith. The circular arrangement, often associated with unity and eternity, encapsulates the timeless nature of this sacred invocation.

    Bismillah (8 Times in Circle): Calligraphy Artwork by Abdul Azeem

    Check out our entire collection of Islamic calligraphy here 

    Instruments and Resonance

    If sound is divine breath, then instruments are its vessels. In Indian art, musical instruments are not mere objects but voices of the gods and devotees, resonating through stone, paint, and song.

    As depicted in the below Kalamkari painting, the damaru is shown in the hands of Shiva. Its cosmic beat symbolises the rhythm of creation and destruction, of the eternal dance of the universe. Every pulse of the damaru is said to have birthed the Sanskrit sounds, the seeds of the language itself. In Indian art, Shiva’s damaru becomes a reminder that beginnings and endings are two sides of the same coin, and that every ending leads to a fresh beginning.

    Lord Shiva In kalamkari by Kanukurthi Guna Sekhar Sai

    The sound of Vishnu’s shankha is like the first light of dawn, pure, resonant and awakening. In the Mahabharata, Krishna as Vishnu’s avatar blows the Panchajanya to announce dharma’s call. The conch represents victory of light over darkness, truth over illusion. In art, Vishnu is often shown holding the shankha in his hands, as depicted in the below Mysore painting, or standing with the shankha resting close to his lips, a reminder of cosmic order and divine protection.

    Lord Vishnu Mysore by Raghavendra B B

    Krishna’s flute, as seen in the below Madhubani painting, embodies love. Its tunes enchant not just the gopis of Vrindavan but also rivers, trees and the winds themselves. The flute, hollow and simple, symbolizes the surrender of ego, which, only when emptied can divine breath flow through, highlighting the basic essence of bhakti. In paintings, Krishna’s lips to the flute symbolise the bliss of union, where sound becomes devotion.

    Krishna playing flute with Gopies in Madhubani by Naina Creation

    Sitting on a lotus, as in the below Kerala mural, Saraswati plays her veena, with wisdom flowing through each string. The veena is not just music, it is the harmony of intellect, arts and inner truth. In Indian art, the veena strings symbolise the connection between heaven and earth, reminding us that knowledge too has a rhythm and a melody that refines the soul.

    Goddess Saraswati In Kerala Mural by Adarsh

    The celestial sage Narada, wandering between worlds, carries his tanpura. Unlike instruments of performance, the tanpura creates the drone, the eternal background against which melodies take shape. Narada’s tanpura represents devotion without desire and music as meditation. His songs remind us that even silence has sound, and even sound is prayer. In the below Tanjore painting, Narada muni can be seen towards the left, holding his tanpura, its tunes praising his beloved Lord Narayana.

    Worshipping Vishnu, Tanjore Painting by Sanjay Tandekar

    The Sacred Silence

    Every sound follows and precedes a pause, every chant has a moment of stillness. In Indian art, silence is embodied in the meditating Buddha, whose calm presence makes quiet itself a resonance.

    Buddha: Kalamkari painting by Harinath.N

    Where Shiva’s damaru beats with primal rhythm, the Buddha sits in profound silence. At first, they may seem like opposites, one being a whirlwind of cosmic movement and the other, an ocean of stillness. Yet both, in art, embody sacred sound. In the dance of Nataraja, this sound becomes vibration, the pulse of creation and destruction.

    Lord Natraj:Bengal Pattachitra painting by Manoranjan Chitrakar

    Every gesture, every beat of the damaru, ripples through the universe like a hymn to impermanence. While in Buddha’s silence, the sound is inward, so subtle, that it dissolves into stillness. It is the kind of sound one feels rather than hears. His silence is not emptiness, but fullness. It is the resonance of peace, compassion and awakening. Together, they remind us that sound is both presence and absence, rhythm and repose. Sacred sound does not only lie in music or mantra, but also in the quiet between notes, the stillness where the soul learns to listen.

    Ragamala paintings

    If instruments give divine sound a voice, Ragamala paintings give it a body. Literally meaning “garlands of ragas”, these artworks translate musical modes into visual poetry. A raga is more than melody, it carries mood, season and emotion. Artists capture these moods in imagery, where, for example, monsoon ragas depict lovers meeting under clouds, like the below Kishangarh miniature style Ragamala painting, which beautifully embodies Raga Megh, a monsoon raga, through the divine figures of Radha and Krishna. Set against a backdrop of dark, swirling clouds, the painting captures the essence of the rainy season. Radha, with her characteristic elongated eyes and delicate features, enthusiastically gestures towards the storm clouds, symbolizing the anticipation of rain. Krishna, standing calmly beside her, exudes serenity.

    Raag Megh of Raagmala Series in Kishangarh Style of Painting by Shehzaad Ali Sherani

    In this way, sound becomes sight and music becomes story. Just as mantras crystallise into yantras and Quranic verses into calligraphy, ragas bloom into ragamalas, reminding us that sound can inhabit not only the ear but also the eye.

    Sacred sound in Indian and Islamic traditions is far beyond what the ear perceives, it is vibration, form, silence and devotion. From the cosmic hum of Om to the lyrical recitation of the Quran, from Vishnu’s shankha and Shiva’s damaru to the stillness of Buddha, every culture tries to hold on, to that which is fleeting. Sound becomes geometry in yantras, poetry in calligraphy, rhythm in instruments and meditation in silence.

    Art is not separate from sound, it is like an echo, giving permanence to the momentary voice. It allows us to see the vibration of the divine, to remember that creation itself was born of sound, that every note, every silence, is a step closer to the eternal. In paintings, sculptures and calligraphy, sacred sound continues to live, not just as music or chants, but as vision, symbol and devotion. To look at these artworks is to listen with the eyes, to hear the divine voice that still lingers, long after even the last note fades.

    References

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