About Bandhas

The Three Bandhas - Instructed by Sadashiva

TYPE:Description

PRAMANA：Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Ssatra Pramana Source：

Yoga-Sikhopanishad (101-103)

Original Verse：

"बन्धत्रयमथेदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथाक्रमम् ।

नित्यं कृतेन तेनास्औ वायोर्जयमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १०१ ॥

चतुर्णामपि भेदानां कुम्भके समुपस्थिते ।

बन्धत्रयमिदं कार्यं वक्ष्यमाणं मया हि तत् ॥ १०२ ॥

प्रथमो मूलबन्धस्तु द्वितीयोड्डीयणाभिधः ।

जालंधरस्तृतीयस्तु लक्षणं कथयाम्यहम् ॥ १०३ ॥"

Transliteration：

"bandhatrayamathedānīṃ pravakṣyāmi yathākramam |

nityaṃ kṛtena tenāsau vāyorjayamavāpnuyāt ॥ 101 ॥

caturṇāmapi bhedānāṃ kumbhake samupasthite |

bandhatrayamidaṃ kāryaṃ vakṣyamāṇaṃ mayā hi tat ॥ 102 ॥

prathamo mūlabandhastu dvitīyoḍḍīyaṇābhidhaḥ |

jālaṃdharastṛtīyastu lakṣaṇaṃ kathayāmyaham ॥ 103 ॥"

Translation:

I shall now relate, in the prescribed order, the three Bandha-s, by performing which, this (practitioner) will attain the conquest of vital air. When Kumbhaka of the four varieties has been successfully accomplished, this three-fold Bandha should be performed. That is related by me presently. The first is Mula-bandha; the second is what is known as Uddiyana; the third is Jalamdhara.

Advanced Yogic Practices: Three Types of Bandhas Revealed

TYPE:Description

PRAMANA：Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Sastra Pramana Source：Yoga Kundali-Upanishad (1, 40-41)

Original Verse：

"चतुर्णामपि भेदानां कुम्भके समुपस्थिते ।

बन्धत्रयमिदं कार्यं योगिभिर्वीतकल्मष्ऐः ॥ ४० ॥

प्रथमो मूलबन्धस्तु द्वितीयोड्डीयणाभिधः ।

जालंधरस्तृतीयस्तु तेषां लक्षणमुच्यते ॥ ४१ ॥"

Transliteration：

"caturṇāmapi bhedānāṃ kumbhake samupasthite |

bandhatrayamidaṃ kāryaṃ Yogibhirvītakalmaṣaiḥ ॥ 40 ॥

prathamo mūlabandhastu dvitīyoḍḍīyaṇābhidhaḥ |

jālaṃdharastṛtīyastu teṣāṃ lakṣaṇamucyate ॥ 41 ॥"

Translation:

When Kumbhaka of the four varieties has been well mastered, these three Bandhas should be practiced

by the Yogins devoid of impurities. The first is the Mula-Bandha. The second is named Uddiyana.

The third is the Jalamdhara.

The Three Bandhas - Anti-Aging and Enlightening!

TYPE:Benefits

PRAMANA：Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Sastra Pramana Source：

Yoga Cudamany Upanishad (45-51)

Original Verse：

"अपानप्राणयोर्ऐक्यं क्षयान्मूत्रपुरीषयोः ।

युवा भवति वृद्धोऽपि सततं मूलबन्धनात् ॥ ४७ ॥

ओड्याणं कुरुते यस्मादविश्रान्तं महाखगः ।

ओड्डियाणं तदेव स्यान्मृत्युमातङ्गकेसरी ॥ ४८ ॥

उदरात् पश्चिमं ताणमधोनाभेर्निगद्यते ।

ओड्याणमुदरे बन्धस्तत्र बन्धो विधीयते ॥ ४९ ॥

बध्नाति हि शिरोजातमधोगामि नभोजलम् ।

ततो जालंधरो बन्धः कण्ठदुःख्औघनाशनः ॥ ५० ॥

जालंधरे कृते बन्धे कण्ठदुःख्औघनाशने ।

न पीयूषं पतत्यग्न्औ न च वायुः प्रधावति ॥ ५१ ॥"

Transliteration： "apānaprāṇayoraikyaṃ kṣayānmūtrapurīṣayoḥ |

yuvā bhavati vṛddho'pi satataṃ mūlabandhanāt ॥ 47 ॥

oḍyāṇaṃ kurute yasmādaviśrāntaṃ mahākhagaḥ |

oḍḍiyāṇaṃ tadeva syānmṛtyumātaṅgakesarī ॥ 48 ॥

udarāt paścimaṃ tāṇamadhonābhernigadyate |

oḍyāṇamudare bandhastatra bandho vidhīyate ॥ 49 ॥

badhnāti hi śirojātamadhogāmi nabhojalam |

tato jālaṃdharo bandhaḥ kaṇṭhaduḥkhaughanāśanaḥ ॥ 50 ॥

jālaṃdhare kṛte bandhe kaṇṭhaduḥkhaughanāśane |

na pīyūṣaṃ patatyagnau na ca vāyuḥ pradhāvati ॥ 51 ॥"

Translation： The Nabho-mudra (Khecari) is the great mudra. That Yogin who knows the Udiyana, Jalamdhara and Mula-bandha

is the receptacle of Liberation. That is known as the Mula-bandha, wherein, having pressed the gentials with

the kick of the heel and firmly contracted the same, (the Yogin) should draw the Apana vital air upwards.

Even an old man always becomes a young man by means of the Mula-bandha, on account of the union of the Prana

and Apana vital airs and the diminution of urine and faeces. Whereby the great bird soars high without effort,

that alone is the Udiyana, the lion of the elephant of death. Behind the belly and below the navel, the Bandha

is known as the (Pascima) Tana, while it is known as the Udiyana in the belly, where a Bandha is prescribed.

Whereby one binds the water of ether having its origin in the head and flowing downwards, for that reason

(it is known as) the Jalamdhara-Bandha, which destroys the numerous ailments of the throat.

When the Jalamdhara Bandha, which destroys the numerous ailments of the throat, is effected, neither does

the nectar flow into the fire, nor does the vital air leap forwards.

The Three Bandhas - success to the accomplishment of Yoga

TYPE:Technique

PRAMANA：Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Sastra Pramana Source：Yoga-Tattvopanishad (118-122)

Original Verse：

"कण्ठमाकुञ्च्य हृदये स्थापयेद् दृढया धिया ॥ ११८ ॥

बन्धो जालंधराख्योऽयं मृत्युमातङ्गकेसरी ।

बन्धो येन सुषुम्नायां प्राणस्तूड्डीयते यतः ॥ ११९ ॥

उड्याणाख्यो हि बन्धोऽयं योगिभिः समुदाहृतः ।

पार्ष्णिभागेन संपीड्य योनिमाकुञ्चयेद् दृढम् ॥ १२० ॥

अपानमूर्ध्वमुत्थाप्य योनिबन्धोऽयमुच्यते ।

प्राणापान्औ नादबिन्दू मूलबन्धेन च्ऐकताम् ॥ १२१ ॥

गत्वा योगस्य संसिद्धिं यच्छतो नात्र संशयः ।"

Transliteration：

"kaṇṭhamākuñcya hṛdaye sthāpayed dṛḍhayā dhiyā ॥ 118 ॥

bandho jālaṃdharākhyo'yaṃ mṛtyumātaṅgakesarī |

bandho yena suṣumnāyāṃ prāṇastūḍḍīyate yataḥ ॥ 119 ॥

uḍyāṇākhyo hi bandho'yaṃ Yogibhiḥ samudāhṛtaḥ |

pārṣṇibhāgena saṃpīḍya yonimākuñcayed dṛḍham ॥ 120 ॥

apānamūrdhvamutthāpya yonibandho'yamucyate |

prāṇāpānau nādabindū mūlabandhena caikatām ॥ 121 ॥

gatvā Yogasya saṃsiddhiṃ yacchato nātra saṃśayaḥ |"

Translation： Constricting the throat (the Yogin) should conceive. It as the heart with a firm intellect.

This is known as the Jalamdhara-bandha, the lion of the elephant of death. That Bandha, whereby the Prana

(vital air) will leap upwards into the Susumna Nadi and for that reason known as the Uddyana Bandha,

this is wellknown to the Yogins. Pressing with the heels, (the Yogin) should constrict the genitals firmly,

forcing upwards the Apana vital air. This is known as the Yoni-bandha. The Prana and the Apana, are the Nada

and the Bindu respectively and attaining oneness through the Mulabandha, they impart success to the

accomplishment of Yoga. There is no doubt about this.

How to perform Bandhas

TYPE:Technique

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Haṭharatnāvalī II.7-8

Original Verse：

"पूरकान्ते तु कर्तव्यो बन्धो जालन्धराभिधः ॥

कुम्भकान्ते रेचकाद्औ कर्तव्यस्तूड्डियानकः ॥7॥

अधस्ताकुञ्चनेञाशु कण्ठसङ्कोचने कृते

मध्ये पश्चिमतानेन स्यात्प्राणो ब्रह्मनाडिगः ll 8 ll"

Transliteration： "pūrakānte tu kartavyo bandho jālandharābhidhaḥ ॥

kumbhakānte recakādau kartavyastūḍḍiyānakaḥ ll 7 ll

adhastākuñcaneñāśu kaṇṭhasaṅkocane kṛte ll

madhye paścimatānena syātprāṇo brahmanāḍigaḥ ll 8 ll"

Translation：

"Jālandhara should be practiced after pūraka, while Uḍḍiyāna should be practiced at the end of kumbhaka,

but after recaka starts. 7.

By contraction of the anal muscle (Mūlabhanda), by contraction of the throat (Jālandhara bandha)

and pulling the abdominal wall backwards (Uḍḍiyāna bandha), the prana enters into the brahma-nāḍī (suṣumnā).8."

Importance of Bandhas

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Haṭharatnāvalī (2, 68)

Original Verse：

"भन्धत्रयमिदं श्रेष्ठं महासिद्ध्ऐश्च सेवितम् ॥

सर्वेषां योगतन्त्राणां साधनं योगिनो विदुः ॥ ६८ ॥ "

Transliteration：

"bhandhatrayamidaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ mahāsiddhaiśca sevitam ll

sarveṣāṃ Yogatantrāṇāṃ sādhanaṃ Yogino viduḥ ll 68 ll"

Translation：

"The set of three Bandhas is of great importance in all the yogīc treatises and is even practised

by the eminent Siddhas. 68 "

Apply Three Bandhas

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Haṭharatnāvalī II.69

Original Verse：

"अधस्तात्कुञ्चनेनाशु कण्ठसङ्कोचने कृते ॥

मध्ये पश्चिमतानेन स्यात् प्राणो ब्र्हमनाडिगः ॥ ६९ ॥ "

Transliteration：

"adhastātkuñcanenāśu kaṇṭhasaṅkocane kṛte ll

madhye paścimatānena syāt prāṇo brhamanāḍigaḥ ll 69 ll"

Translation：

Firmly contract the lower region (Apply Mūlabandha) , contract the throat (Apply Jālandhara bandha) and

retract in the middle (Apply Uḍḍiyāna bandha). Thus, prāṇa moves in the Brahmanāḍī. 69

Active Kundalini through Bandhas

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Haṭharatnāvalī II.70

Original Verse：

"मूलस्थानं समाकुञ्च्य उड्डियानं तु कारयेत् ॥

इडां च पिङ्गलं बद्ध्वा वाहयेत् पश्चिमं पथम् ॥ ७० ॥ "

Transliteration：

"mūlasthānaṃ samākuñcya uḍḍiyānaṃ tu kārayet ll

iḍāṃ ca piṅgalaṃ baddhvā vāhayet paścimaṃ patham ll 70 ll"

Translation：

Adopt Mūlabandha and practise Uḍḍiyāna. This closing of iḍā and piṅgalā directs the prāṅa into the posterior

path suṣumnā). 70

Delay Aging and Death through Bandhas

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Haṭharatnāvalī II.71

Original Verse：

"अनेन्ऐव विधानेन प्रयाति पवनो लयम् ॥

ततो न जायते मृत्युत्जरारोगादिकं तथा ॥ ७१ ॥ "

Transliteration：

"anenaiva vidhānena prayāti pavano layam ll

tato na jāyate mṛtyutjarārogādikaṃ tathā ll 71 ll"

Translation：

Adherence to such techniques alone merges the pavana into the laya state, which retard untimely death,

diseases and old age etc. 71

Description of Three Bandhas

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：

Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya I.60

Original Verse：

"उड्डीयानो मूलबन्धः जालंधर इति त्रिधा ।

बन्धा मुख्याः प्राणवृत्ति निरोधे सहकारिणः ॥"

Transliteration：

"uḍḍīyāno mūlabandhaḥ jālaṃdhara iti tridhā ।

bandhā mukhyāḥ prāṇavṛtti nirodhe sahakāriṇaḥ ॥60ll"

Translation：

In disciplining the breath, the three types of Bandhas- Uddiyana Bandha, Mula bandha and Jalamdhara Bandha are of great importance.

Proper Understanding Brings Results

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：

Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya I.61

Original Verse：

"बन्धत्रयरहस्यं यो न जानाति विशेषतः ।

प्राणायामास्तस्य सिद्धिं नैव दद्युः कृता अपि ॥"

Transliteration： "bandhatrayarahasyaṃ yo na jānāti viśeṣataḥ ।

prāṇāyāmāstasya siddhiṃ naiva dadyuḥ kṛtā api ॥ 93 ll"

Translation：

For one who does not know clearly the special aspects of the three bandas, even if pranayama is practiced,

it will not produce the claimed benefits.

When to Bandhas?

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya I.93

Original Verse：

"भुक्तेः प्रागेव कुर्वीत भुक्तो यामद्वयं त्यजेत् ।

श्वासोच्छ्वासौ यदा सिद्धौ दीर्घसूक्ष्मौ न वेगतः ॥"

Transliteration： "bhukteḥ prāgeva kurvīta bhukto yāmadvayaṃ tyajet ।

śvāsocchvāsau yadā siddhau dīrghasūkṣmau na vegataḥ ॥ 93 ll"

Translation：

Pranayama along with the Bandhas must be done either before food or six hours after a meal, so that the

exhalation and inhalation are long, smooth and not rapid.

Removing Diseases with Bandhas and Pranayama

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya II.50

Original Verse：

"मूलोड्याने जालधृतित्बन्धत्रिकयुतो यदि |

प्राणायामस्सर्वरोगमूलोन्मूलनकारकः ॥ ५० ॥"

Transliteration：

"mūloḍyāne jāladhṛtitbandhatrikayuto yadi |

prāṇāyāmassarvarogamūlonmūlanakārakaḥ ॥ 50 ॥"

Translation：

When pranayama is done along with the three Bandhas, Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jalamdhara Bandha,

the roots of all diseases are removed.

Bandhas only Before Food

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Nathamuni Yoga Rahasya II.51

Original Verse：

"भुक्तेः पूर्वं प्रकुर्वीत योगी बन्धत्रयं सदा |

रेचकात्परतो मूलं बद्ध्वोत्थाप्य च तद्दृढम् ॥ ५१ ॥ "

Transliteration：

"bhukteḥ pūrvaṃ prakurvīta yogī bandhatrayaṁ sadā |

recakātparato mūlaṁ baddhvotthāpya ca taddṛḍham ॥ 51 ॥ "

Translation：

The Yogi must practice the three Bandhas only before taking food.

Through recaka, the Muladhara which is lifted is firmly held up.

Instruction on the Timing for Bandhas

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma IV.34

Original Verse：

"पूरकान्ते तु कर्तव्यो बन्धो जालन्धराभिधह् ॥

कुम्भकान्ते रेचक्दौ कर्तव्यस्तूद्दिय्नकः ॥34॥"

Transliteration：

"pūrakānte tu kartavyo bandho jālandharābhidhah ॥ kumbhakānte recakdau kartavyastūddiynakaḥ ॥34॥"

Translation：

"Jālandhara Bandha (chin lock) should be practiced after pūraka, while Uḍḍiyāna should be practised

at the end of kumbhaka, but before recaka starts. 34"