Chakra 6 of 7 · Third Eye Chakra
Ajna — आज्ञा
ājñā — “command, authority, perception.”
Location: Between the eyebrows.
Element: Manas (mind) — traditionally placed beyond the five physical elements.
Sense: Traditionally described as beyond the ordinary senses, governing intuition instead.
Bija mantra: ॐ (Oṃ (Om))
The yantra at its centre
Most classical depictions place a simple luminous point (bindu) here rather than a complex geometric yantra — the two petals are usually read as the meeting of the Ida and Pingala channels with the central Sushumna, just before they unite and rise further.
Deity and Shakti
Every chakra below Sahasrara is traditionally described with a presiding deity and a goddess (Shakti) specific to that centre.
Presiding deity
Often associated with Shiva in a subtle, formless aspect (sometimes named Parashiva or Shambhu) rather than a fully iconographic figure.
Shakti — Hakini
Usually shown with six faces and six arms, holding a book, skull and drum — an image of concentrated inner knowledge.
Vahana (vehicle)
No specific vahana is consistently assigned to this centre in classical sources — unlike the six below it.
Worth knowing
Ajna is the one chakra among the lower six whose bija is Om itself, rather than one of the other Sanskrit seed-syllables — marking a shift toward the more abstract centres above it.
How this fits the wider system
Ajna is the sixth of the seven chakras in the system popularised by the 16th-century Shatchakra Nirupana. See the full seven-chakra overview for how all seven relate to each other, including which parts of the popular modern chakra system (like the rainbow colour scheme) are much later additions rather than classical tradition.
Frequently asked questions
What does Ajna mean in Sanskrit?
ājñā — “command, authority, perception.”
Where is Ajna traditionally located?
Between the eyebrows.
Is Ajna a scientifically recognised body part?
No — like the other chakras, Ajna is a concept from traditional Tantric and Yogic literature, not an anatomical structure recognised in modern medicine.