Svadhishthana, Svādhiṣṭhāna, Sva-adhishthana: 13 definitions

Introduction
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In Hinduism
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Kannada
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Introduction:

Svadhishthana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Svādhiṣṭhāna can be transliterated into English as Svadhisthana or Svadhishthana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Yoga

The Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान) centre is in the region of the genitals—see e.g. Gorakṣaśataka 22. Here Śiva is describing Kuṇḍalinī’s ascent through the six centres that are the basis of a system of subtle physiology found in some haṭhayogic texts (e.g. Gorakṣaśataka 15-16, Śivasaṃhitā 5.56-119—a seventh centre, the sahasrāra, is added in these texts) and which has become today the most widely accepted model of the subtle body.

Source: Chakras: Hinduism

Svā = Self; Adhishthāna = seat, residence. The Svādhishthāna Chakra lies about three centimetres above the Mūlādhāra Chakra between the coccyx and the sacrum. It marks the second stage of human evolvement. In earlier periods of evolvement the seat of the Kundalinī Shakti was located in this Chakra, but in Kali Yuga , our present age, spiritual energy has sunk down into the Mūlādhāra Chakra – into unconsciousness - because of the rampant materialism and egoistic behaviour of humans.

The colour of the Svādhishthāna Chakra is ORANGE, the colour of fire. This colour symbolises purification, activity, joy, hope and self-confidence, and shows that the energy of the Svādhishthāna Chakra has become active. Orange is also the colour of sunrise and is an indication of the strength that blossoms from this Chakra once it has been mastered – cheerfulness, faith, self-confidence and vigour. It is also the colour of autumn and sunset, when nature withdraws and consciousness turns inwards. When we look within and concentrate on the Svādhishthāna Chakra we are able to find the answers to many questions related to our destiny.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (yoga)

Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान) or Svādhiṣṭhānayoga refers to the “self-established yoga”, according to the Amṛtasiddhi, a 12th-century text belonging to the Haṭhayoga textual tradition.—Accordingly, “He who tries to master his mind by means of self-established yoga (svādhiṣṭhāna—svādhiṣṭhānena yogena) deludedly chews a rock and, thirsty, drinks the sky”.

Note: In two places the Amṛtasiddhi mentions svādhiṣṭhāna-yoga. This is a method of visualising oneself as a deity which is central to the teachings of a wide variety of Vajrayāna texts (e.g. Guhyasamāja 7.2, where it is called svādhidaivatayoga, and the Pañcakrama, whose third krama is called the svādhiṣṭhānakrama). In the two verses from the Amṛtasiddhi given below, the methods of svādhiṣṭhāna-yoga are said to be ineffective; to achieve the goals of yoga one must use the practice taught in the Amṛtasiddhi. The later witnesses of the text do not understand the phrase svādhiṣṭhānena yogena and, presumably surmising svādhiṣṭhāna to refer to the second of the six cakras in a system taught in many Haṭhayoga texts (but not in the Amṛtasiddhi, which makes no mention of cakras), they change yogena to mārgeṇa in an attempt to make the phrase refer to a pathway in the yogic body.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Kubjikāmata-tantra

The Svādhiṣṭhāna is considered as consisting of six seats (svādhiṣṭhānaṃ ṣaḍāśrayam), according to Tantric sources, such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra.

These six seats are named:

Randhra (‘opening’) ,
Kāma (‘love’, ‘desire’),
Vahni or Śikhi (‘fire’),
Gola (‘ball’),
Dhvaja (‘banner’),
and Kanda (‘bulb’).

A seventh seat is called which is the abode of Brahmā.

Piṇḍa or Tattva (‘principle, ‘essence’’)

These seven are identified with the seven worlds which are Bhūr, Bhuvar, Svar, Mahar, Jana, Tapo and Satyaloka. Together they form the Brahmāṇḍa or Cosmig Egg.

The central part is associated with the supreme, as well as with the individual principle of life. It is the seat of Navatattveśvara who represents Śiva in his manifestation of the Navātman. He is Īśvara, who in the form of the ātman is associated with semen. He is Īśāna who is called the haṃsa, being the combination of ha = Śiva and sa = Śakti, and who is localized in the Brahmagranthi (central point of the Svādhiṣṭhāna).

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

1) Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान) refers to the second centre in the subtle body, according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, as Bhairava says to the Goddes: “Thus, O goddess, (this centre is called) svādhiṣṭhāna because it is by this that the wise bearer of the Wheel (i.e. Śiva) was previously supported by himself (svādhiṣṭhita) in the Liṅga. This is the location of both Māyā and the Śāmbhava plane. It is the teaching concerning the support (adhiṣṭhāna) of the forces. It contains the individualized form of the Person (puruṣāṇu) and so is rightly called ‘one’s own support’ (svādhiṣṭhāna) [...]”.

Note: The Liṅga in svādhiṣṭhāna consists of six parts. It is, in other words, hexagonal. The pedestal in the centre of the Foundation is triangular with a point in the centre. This is reckoned here to be the square (a four sided figure) (caturasra) that is the geometric shape associated with this centre. This composite Liṅga-Yoni is the form Bhairava assumes. It is presented to the gods so that they can worship it and thereby receive its benefits.

2) Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान) or Svādhiṣṭhānacakra refers one of the “sixteen stations of the ascent of kuṇḍalinī” according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “[...] (2) Above it is the Self—supported (svādhiṣṭhāna), (brilliant) as a whirling firebrand. There, in the middle, is the one called the living being (jīva). One should think that it is as (nourishing) like nectar. [...]”.

3) Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान) refers to the “penis”, which is associated with the Brahmāgranthi, according to the Ṣaṭsāhasrasaṃhitā, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “ (8) (The Knot) called Brahmā is in the penis (svādhiṣṭhāna) and (9) the Knot of the Moon (soma) is in the stomach. [...]”.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Swadhisthana or “one’s own abode” is the second primary chakra according to Hindu Tantrism. Swadhisthana is described as a black lotus, with six vermillion-colored petals which have the following syllables written on them in the colour of lightning:

petal 1, बं baṃ (represents the vṛtti for affection),
petal 2, भं bhaṃ (represents the vṛtti for pitilessness),
petal 3, मं maṃ (represents the vṛtti for feeling of all-destructiveness),
petal 4, यं yaṃ (represents the vṛtti for delusion),
petal 5, रं raṃ (represents the vṛtti for disdain),
petal 6, लं laṃ (represents the vṛtti for suspicion).

Inside this lotus is a white crescent moon, formed by two different sized inner circles, one inside the other. The crescent moon is the water region presided over by Varuna, who is white in color, four-armed, holds a noose and is seated on a crocodile. The two inner circles also have petals; the larger one eight outward facing petals, and the smaller one eight inward facing petals. The seed mantra, located in the innermost circle, is a moon-white वं vaṃ. Within the bindu, or dot, above the mantra is the deity Vishnu. He is dark blue, wears a yellow dhoti, and holds a conch, a mace, a wheel and a lotus.

The Swadhisthana chakra is located near the coccyx (tailbone), two finger-widths above the Muladhara chakra. Its corresponding point in the front of the body (i.e. its kṣetra) is the pubic bone.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान).—n S The anus.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान).—one of the six Chakras or mystical circles of the body.

Derivable forms: svādhiṣṭhānam (स्वाधिष्ठानम्).

Svādhiṣṭhāna is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms sva and adhiṣṭhāna (अधिष्ठान).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान).—n.

(-naṃ) One of the six Chakras or mystical circles of the body.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Svadhiṣṭhāna (स्वधिष्ठान).—adj., having a solid base, Chr. 25, 52.

Svadhiṣṭhāna is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms su and adhiṣṭhāna (अधिष्ठान).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Svādhiṣṭhāna (स्वाधिष्ठान):—[from sva] n. o°’s own place, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa [Scholiast or Commentator]]

2) [v.s. ...] one of the 6 mystical circles of the body (See cakra), [Pañcarātra; Ānanda-laharī]

3) Svadhiṣṭhāna (स्वधिष्ठान):—[=sv-adhiṣṭhāna] mfn. having a good standing-place (said of a war-chariot), [Mahābhārata]

[Sanskrit to German]

Svadhishthana in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Svādhiṣṭhāna (ಸ್ವಾಧಿಷ್ಠಾನ):—[noun] one of the mystical circle of the body in the umbilical region.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 14 books and stories containing Svadhishthana, Su-adhishthana, Su-adhiṣṭhāna, Su-adhisthana, Sv-adhishthana, Sv-adhiṣṭhāna, Sv-adhisthana, Sva-adhishthana, Sva-adhiṣṭhāna, Sva-adhisthana, Svādhiṣṭhāna, Svadhisthana, Svadhiṣṭhāna; (plurals include: Svadhishthanas, adhishthanas, adhiṣṭhānas, adhisthanas, Svādhiṣṭhānas, Svadhisthanas, Svadhiṣṭhānas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 18 < [Section 2]

Verse 14 < [Section 2]

Verse 15 < [Section 2]

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Verse 227-228 [Sahasrāra and shower of Somarasa] < [Chapter 4 - Fourth Vimarśa]

Verse 113 [The form and process of reaching the Parāvāc] < [Chapter 3 - Third Vimarśa]

Verse 126 [Cidambaragatā Śakti’s four forms in Gross body] < [Chapter 3 - Third Vimarśa]

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Sūtra 2.27 < [Book II - Sādhana-pāda]

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Incorporation of Upaniṣads in the Dvisāhasrī < [H. H. Ṭembesvāmī: Erudition]

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