Yant
Standing Figure in a Mantra Arch
A standing crowned figure in profile holding a serpent-like form and a leaf-shaped object, framed by a gateway-shaped arch of Khom script.
✦Meaning & Background
A crowned figure stands in profile, mid-stride, with a tall pointed crown, a small beard and a richly decorated garment. In one hand he holds a long, wavy form with a crested head that resembles a serpent, in the other a leaf-shaped object on a handle with an unalome inside, in the tradition the sign of the path to enlightenment. An arch of Khom script frames him the way a niche frames a statue.
✦More about this design
Most figures on the site sit or kneel: the kneeling warrior in wai, or Phra Pikanet on his lotus beneath a temple arch. This figure walks. He stands in profile, one foot forward, as if he has just taken a step. That side view, with a tall pointed crown and a richly decorated garment, recalls the figures of classical Thai mural painting. He wears a small beard, a bead necklace and a garment with flame and triangle motifs. In his front hand he holds a long, wavy form with a crested head, which resembles a serpent and reaches down to the ground. In his rear hand he carries a leaf-shaped object on a handle, with an unalome inside. Who exactly the figure is cannot be said with certainty from the drawing alone, so we do not give him a name here. Around him runs an arch of Khom script, rounded at the top and straight at the sides, closed at the bottom by a line of characters. You also see a closed frame of script in the naga in a mantra circle, but here it takes the shape of a gateway. The upright form sits well on the upper arm, the shoulder blade or the outside of the thigh. Browse all Sak Yant designs, read about all Sak Yant symbols or book an appointment.
✦Frequently asked questions
Which figure is this?
That cannot be said with certainty from the drawing alone. The pointed crown, the garment and the objects in his hands fit classical Thai imagery, but we do not give him a name we cannot back up.
What is he holding?
In his front hand a long, wavy form with a crested head that resembles a serpent. In his rear hand a leaf-shaped object on a handle, with an unalome inside.
Why does he stand in an arch of script?
The arch of Khom script frames the figure the way a niche frames a statue. Text and figure together form one closed design.
