Ajna (,

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

: , ), brow or third eye chakra, is the sixth primary

chakra A chakra (; ; ) is one of the various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, part of the inner traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The concept of the chakra arose in Hinduism. B ...

in the body according to

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

tradition and signifies the

unconscious mind In psychoanalysis and other psychological theories, the unconscious mind (or the unconscious) is the part of the psyche that is not available to introspection. Although these processes exist beneath the surface of conscious awareness, they are t ...

, the direct link to

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' (; IAST: ''Brahman'') connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part XII In the ...

(ultimate reality). The third eye is said to connect people to their

intuition Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without recourse to conscious reasoning or needing an explanation. Different fields use the word "intuition" in very different ways, including but not limited to: direct access to unconscious knowledg ...

, give them the ability to

communicate Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not only transmit ...

with the world, or help them receive messages from the past and the future.

Location

The Ajna chakra is located in the center of the forehead between the eyebrows. It is not a part of the physical body but considered to be part of the

pranic In yoga, Ayurveda, and Indian martial arts, prana (, ; the Sanskrit word for breath, " life force", or "vital principle") permeates reality on all levels including inanimate objects. In Hindu literature, prāṇa is sometimes described as origina ...

system. The location makes it a sacred spot where Hindus apply a tilak bindi to show reverence for it.

Appearance

The Ajna chakra is described as "a diamond-like lotus of two petals, presided by

Hamsa The ''hamsa'' (, referring to images of 'the five fingers of the hand'),Zenner, 1988p. 284World Institute for Advanced Phenomenological Research and Learning (Belmont, Estados Unidos), 1991p. 219Drazin, 2009p. 268 also known as the hand of Fa ...

Devata, and Susumna Sakti. It corresponds to the Vijnana state and Anupama Vak, and to the half

matra Matra (an acronym for Mécanique Aviation Traction) was a major French industrial Conglomerate (company), conglomerate. Its business activities covered a wide range of industries, notably aerospace manufacturer, aerospace, defence industry, def ...

of the

Pranava ''Om'' (or ''Aum''; ; , ISO 15919: ''Ōṁ'') is a polysemous symbol representing a sacred sound, seed syllable, mantra, and invocation in Hinduism. Its written form is the most important symbol in the Hindu religion. It is the ess ...

." It is said to represent the

nadis () is a term for the channels through which, in traditional Indian medicine and spiritual theory, the energies such as prana of the human body, physical body, the subtle body and the causal body are said to flow. Within this philosophical framew ...

(psychic channels) Ida and Pingala, which meet the central Sushumna nadi before rising to the crown chakra,

Sahasrara Sahasrara (, IAST: , , with many alternative names and spellings) or the crown chakra is considered the seventh primary chakra in Sanatan yoga traditions. The chakra is represented by the colour violet. Hatha yoga The Sahasrara is described ...

. The letter "ham" (हं) is written in white on the left petal and represents

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, while the letter "ksham" (क्षं) is written in white on the right petal and represents

Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

. Inside the

pericarp Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Fruitlike structures may develop directly from the seed itself rather th ...

of the flower is the Hakini shakti. It is depicted with a white moon, six faces, and six arms holding a book, a skull, a drum, and a

rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...

, while making the gestures associated with granting boons and dispelling fears. The downward-pointing triangle above her contains a white

lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...

. This triangle, along with the lotus flower, can represent wisdom.

Seed syllable

The seed syllables of Ajna are ''ksham'' and the more well-known '' Om'' or ''Aum'', which is believed to be the basic sound of the world and contains all other sounds. It is considered the supreme sound of the universe. The mantras are monosyllabic seed sounds (''bija'') which, when spoken aloud, activate the energy of the respective chakras in order to purify and balance the mind and body. The energy resonates in the chakra associated with the mantra.

Function

Ajna translates as "authority" or "command" (or "perceive"). It is considered the eye of intuition and intellect. Its associated sense organ is the mind.

References

Works cited

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