Śivasaṃhitā 3.117

The verse inaugurates the description of svastikāsana with a precise anatomical instruction: the soles of the feet (pādatale) must be correctly inserted (samyag) into the space formed between the thighs (ūru) and knees (jānu). The particle ubhe (both) confirms the bilateral symmetry of the posture. The text introduces the āsana by its proper name before describing its execution.

Svastika is one of the oldest symbols in Indian culture, derived from su (well) and asti (is, exists), with the suffix -ka, meaning ‘that which brings well-being’. In the āsana, the crossed position of the feet visually evokes the svastika form. Jānūrvorantare is a locative compound: jānu (knee) + ūru (thigh) + antara (inner space), precisely describing the cavity into which the feet are inserted.

Svastikāsana also appears in the Haṭhapradīpikā (1.19) and Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā (2.13) with similar descriptions. It is one of the seated postures considered suitable for prolonged meditation and prāṇāyāma, offering stability without the physical demand of padmāsana. Its inclusion in multiple texts reveals its central place in the haṭhayogic canon.