In Hinduism, adhisthana is a base or ground on which an object is located. In Vedanta philosophy, adhisthana means the ground on which something is superimposed. The famous example is that of a rope on which the snake is superimposed erroneously. An adhisthana, therefore, is the support on which one perceives erroneously out of one’s ignorance or because of insufficient conditions (like light, etc.). In the case cited above, there is an erroneous cognition brought about by the impressions of a snake from an earlier perception/memory of the same object, now superimposed on the other (rope) due to similarity in their appearance.
As adhisthana is the supporting basis or the ground of a superimposition, in which the reality of the object is wrongly reflected on a similar object. It is the false perception of a snake in a rope. This superimposition is called adhyaropa which causes the object to appear otherwise. In the same manner, as the Brahman is the only reality, which is without a second, and it is designated as saccidanandamadvayam Brahma (existence, consciousness and bliss). It alone is real and all other things are mere vivarta (appearances like bubbles, a form which appears distinct). The apparent existence of the phenomenal world is the vikshepa (projection) of maya after covering (avarana) the consciousness of Brahman. Due to avidya (delimited or conditioned knowledge), the phenomenal world, with all its material objects, appears to be real, while it is only mithya (a construct), superimposition upon Brahman. The material objects or phenomenal objects are made up of earth, water, air, fire, and space, which are the apparent forms of ajnana.
Brahman is the upadana karana (material cause) of the universe in the sense that He is the substratum or adhisthana of the universe. In a perceptual illusion, like that of a rope and the snake, the rope appears as the snake and this is possible because the rope is there as the substratum or adhishtana of the snake. When the illusion is destroyed, the rope is known as the rope. Similarly, when avidya is destroyed, the world of nama (names) and rupa (forms) will be known to be only the reflections of Brahman.
The Bhagavad Gita (III – 40) declares desire to be adhisthana (the seat) of the senses, the mind and the intellect. Sri Krishna exhorts Arjuna to control the senses first.
Another meaning of adhisthana is a seat of administration. In the Dhanaidaha copper plate inscription of Kumaragupta – I (423 – 33 CE), it is recorded that a customer who wanted to purchased some land approached adhisthana. This adhishtana is taken to mean a city council consisting of nagara-sresthin who is the chief administrator of commercial transactions. Adhisthana was also known as the adhikarana and is also mentioned in Gupta inscriptions like that of the Paharpur copper plate inscription dated 479 CE. The word is also used to indicate the place where the mortal remains of saint are interred.