Chakra 2 of 7 · Sacral Chakra
Svadhishthana — स्वाधिष्ठान
sva (“one's own”) + adhiṣṭhāna (“abode, seat”) — one's own dwelling place.
Location: Below the navel, near the base of the sexual organs.
Element: Apas (Water)
Sense: Taste
Bija mantra: वं (vaṃ)
The yantra at its centre
A white or silver crescent moon, floating within the lotus — the visual signature of the Water element throughout this system.
Deity and Shakti
Every chakra below Sahasrara is traditionally described with a presiding deity and a goddess (Shakti) specific to that centre.
Presiding deity
Most sources name Vishnu as the presiding deity of this centre, in his role as sustainer.
Shakti — Rakini
Typically shown seated on a red lotus, carrying a variety of weapons — an image of active, protective energy.
Vahana (vehicle)
Makara — a crocodile-like mythical river creature, symbolising the currents and unpredictability associated with the water element.
Worth knowing
Even the petal count here isn't universally agreed: the widely-cited Shatchakra Nirupana gives six petals, while another classical text, the Subhagodaya, gives eight — a genuine disagreement between two texts of the same broader school.
How this fits the wider system
Svadhishthana is the second 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 Svadhishthana mean in Sanskrit?
sva (“one's own”) + adhiṣṭhāna (“abode, seat”) — one's own dwelling place.
Where is Svadhishthana traditionally located?
Below the navel, near the base of the sexual organs.
Is Svadhishthana a scientifically recognised body part?
No — like the other chakras, Svadhishthana is a concept from traditional Tantric and Yogic literature, not an anatomical structure recognised in modern medicine.