Bandha

The energetic locks of the body (mūla, uḍḍīyāna, jālandhara). Structures that direct prāṇa and awaken subtle energy.

100 verses · 8 texts

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Śivasaṃhitā 47

  1. ŚS 4.3(Then imagine that) – There go up through the sushumna vessel, three bodies in their due order (i.e., the etheric, the astral and the mental bodies). There is emitted in every chakra the nectar, the characteristic of which is great bliss. Its colour is whitish rosey (pink), full of splendor, showering down in jets the immortal fluid. Let him drink this wine of immortality which is divine, and then again enter the Kula (i.e., perineal space.) Note. While these subtle bodies go up, they drink at every stage this nectar, called Kulamrita.
  2. ŚS 4.5Again let him be absorbed in that Yoni, where dwells the fire of death – the nature of Shiva, &c. Thus has been described by me the method of practicing the great Yoni-mudra. From success in its practice, there is nothing which cannot be accomplished.
  3. ŚS 4.6Even those mantras which are deformed (chhinna) or paralyzed (Kilita), scorched (stambhita) by fire, or whose flame has become attenuated, or are dark, and ought to be abandoned, or which are evil, or too old, or which are proud of their budding youth, or have gone over to the side of the enemy, or weak and essenceless without vitality; or which have been divided into hundreds of parts, even they become fertile through time and method. All these can give powers and emancipation when properly given to the disciple by the Guru, after having initiated him according to proper rites, and bathed him a thousand times. This Yoni-mudra has been described, in order that the student may deserve (to be initiated into the mysteries of) and receive the mantras.
  4. ŚS 4.7He who practices Yoni-Mudra is not polluted by sin, were he to murder a thousand Brahmanas or kill all the inhabitants of the three worlds—
  5. ŚS 4.8Were he to kill his teacher or drink wine or commit theft, or violate the bed of his preceptor, he is not stained by these sins also, by virtue of this mudra.
  6. ŚS 4.101Quien, en el momento de orinar, atrae hacia arriba el flujo con fuerza mediante el aire...
  7. ŚS 4.102Aquel que cada día practica siguiendo el camino enseñado por el guru...
  8. ŚS 4.104Cuando el bindu es perfeccionado con gran esfuerzo, ¿qué no se logra, oh Pārvatī?
  9. ŚS 4.105Exposición de la mudrā śakticālana. El sabio debe despertar a la kuṇḍalinī firme que duerme en el loto del soporte [mūlādhāra], ascendiendo el apāna-vāyu y atrayéndola con fuerza.
  10. ŚS 4.106Aquel que practica así el śakticālana cada día...
  11. ŚS 4.108Śivasaṃhitā — La Compendio de Śiva
  12. ŚS 4.11Through practice one gets the power of vach (prophecy), and the power of going everywhere, through mere exertion of will. This Yoni-mudra should be kept in great secrecy, and not be given to everybody. Even when threatened with death, it should not be revealed or given to others. The Awakening of Kundalini.
  13. ŚS 4.111Este excelente conjunto de diez mudrās no ha existido antes ni existirá después en forma semejante.
  14. ŚS 4.12Now I shall tell you the best means of attaining success in Yoga. The practitioners should keep it secret. It is the most inaccessible Yoga.
  15. ŚS 4.17In accordance with the instructions of the Guru, press gently the perineum with the heel of the left foot. Stretching the right foot out, hold it fast by the two hands. Having closed the nine gates (of the body), place the chin on the chest. Then concentrate the vibrations of the mind and inspire air and retain it by kumbhaka (so long as one can comfortably keep it). This is the Mahamudra, held secret in all the Tantras. The steady-minded Yogi, having practiced it on the left side should then practice it on the right side; and in all cases must be firm in pranayama – the regulation of his breath.
  16. ŚS 4.20This Mudra, described by me, is the giver of all desires to the practitioner; it should be practiced in secrecy, and ought never to be given to everybody. (2) Maha-Bandha.
  17. ŚS 4.22Through this practice, the wind enters the middle channel of Sushumna, the body is invigorated by it, the bones are firmly knitted, the heart of the Yogi becomes full (of cheerfulness). By this Bandha, the great Yogi accomplishes all his desires. (3) Maha-Vedha.
  18. ŚS 4.23O goddess of the three worlds! when the Yogi, while performing the Mahabandha, causes the union of the prana and apana vayus and filling in the viscera with air drives it slowly towards the nates, it is called Mahavedha.
  19. ŚS 4.25He who practices this Mahavedha with great secrecy, obtains vayu-siddhi (success over the wind). It destroys decay and death.
  20. ŚS 4.26The gods residing in the chakras tremble owing to the gentle influx and efflux of air in pranayama; the great goddess, Kunali Maha Maya, is also absorbed in the mount Kailasa.
  21. ŚS 4.27The Mahamudra and Mahabandha become fruitless if they are not followed by Mahavedha; therefore, the Yogi should practices all these three successively with great care.
  22. ŚS 4.28He who practices these three daily four times with great care, undoubtedly conquers death within six months. 17 The Siva Samhita – Chapter IV 29. Only the siddha knows the importance of these three and no one else; knowing these, the practitioner obtains all success.
  23. ŚS 4.30This should be kept in great secrecy by the practitioner desirous of obtaining power; otherwise, it is certain that the coveted powers can never be obtained through the practice of Mudras. (4) Khechari.
  24. ŚS 4.31The wise Yogi, sitting in vajrasana posture, in a place free from all disturbance, should firmly fix his gaze on the spot in the middle of the two eyebrows; and reversing the tongue backwards, fix it in the hollow under the epi-glottis, placing it with great care on the mouth of the well of nectar, (i.e. closing up the air passage). This mudra, described by me at the request of my devotees, is the Khecharimudra.
  25. ŚS 4.33Whether pure or impure, in whatever condition one may be, if success be obtained in Khechari, he becomes pure. There is no doubt of it.
  26. ŚS 4.34The desired fruit, happiness, mastery of the senses — all these belong to the yogi established in yoga.
  27. ŚS 4.36This mudra is the wish-fulfilling cow for seekers; thus have I declared it.
  28. ŚS 4.37Exposition of the Mahābandha.
  29. ŚS 4.38Contracting the anus and perineum, make the apāna move upward.
  30. ŚS 4.39The wise one who binds prāṇa and apāna together for the purpose of ascent drinks the nectar through this bandha, and attaining immortality, enjoys the three worlds.
  31. ŚS 4.40The assembly of essences flows from the network of nāḍīs to the crown of the yogi; this Jālandhara-bandha bestows success upon the practitioner.
  32. ŚS 4.41Through practice, the vāyu unites with the center of suṣumnā; pressing the anus firmly with the heel, the practitioner draws the apāna upward. This is Mūla-bandha, destroyer of decay and death.
  33. ŚS 4.43He who has perfected the Yonimudrā — what can he not accomplish in this world? Seated in padmāsana, free from sloth, the yogi leaves the ground and moves through the air by virtue of this mudrā.
  34. ŚS 4.44The bull among yogis, having pierced with this vedha and with vāyu, should practice this bandha in secret, in a solitary place, if he desires to cross the ocean of the world.
  35. ŚS 4.52Having the method from the Guru, the wise Yogi should practice it with great care. This most inaccessible Mudra should be practiced in a retired and undisturbed place. (9) Vajrondi-mudra.
  36. ŚS 4.64Exposition of the Mūlabandha.
  37. ŚS 4.66This yoga produces the union of apāna and prāṇa, surpassing all that can be imagined; it can be practiced together with much enjoyment, and therefore the yogi should practice it.
  38. ŚS 4.80This yoga of Vajrolī grants liberation even to one immersed in pleasures; one who practices Shakti-chālana correctly for even two seconds, and with care, is very near to success and should practice it in the proper posture.
  39. ŚS 4.81At first, the wise one should introduce into his own body, with effort and according to proper method, the fluid from the woman's womb; retaining his own bindu, let him practice copulation. These are the ten mudrās whose equal never was nor shall be; through the practice of any one of them, one becomes a siddha.
  40. ŚS 4.82Having retained one's own bindu, the yogi should practice the movement of the liṅga; one who always practices Vajrolī with great care obtains all siddhis while enjoying all the innumerable pleasures of the world.
  41. ŚS 4.87I am the bindu, rajas is Śakti; when both unite, the yogi attains the state of success and his body becomes divine and resplendent.
  42. ŚS 4.88Death comes from the fall of bindu; life from its retention; therefore, let the yogi preserve his bindu with great care.
  43. ŚS 4.89In this world beings are born and die because of bindu — of this there is no doubt; therefore, let the yogi always preserve his bindu with great care.
  44. ŚS 4.90When the bindu has been perfected with great effort, what cannot be achieved in this world? Through the greatness of its preservation, one attains a glory equal to mine.
  45. ŚS 4.91The bindu, remaining in the body, produces pleasure and suffering for all beings; for the yogi, preservation of bindu is the supreme yoga and the giver of happiness.
  46. ŚS 4.96If by fate the bindu moves with impulse and the union of sun and moon takes place, the yogi should absorb this mixture through the tube of the male organ. This is the Amarolī.
  47. ŚS 4.97The yogi should retain through Yonimudrā his own bindu that has begun to depart; the method by which bindu on the verge of emission can be retained through Yonimudrā is called Sahajolī.

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā 34

  1. HYP 1.28There is nothing in the three worlds equal to Siddhāsana. Practicing the bandha at the base and moving the śakti, [the yogī progresses].
  2. HYP 1.37Firmly pressing the left heel against the perineum and placing the other foot over the generative organ, with the chin firm against the chest, senses controlled, gaze fixed between the eyebrows: this is called Siddhāsana, which opens the door to liberation.
  3. HYP 1.41This is Siṃhāsana, venerated by the best yogīs. This excellent posture facilitates the union of the three bandhas.
  4. HYP 1.44Placing the right foot on the left thigh and the left on the right, crossing the hands behind the back and firmly holding the big toes; with the chin on the chest and the gaze on the tip of the nose — this Padmāsana destroys all diseases of the yogī.
  5. HYP 1.56Thus, through postures and contractions, the yogī achieves success. When properly perfected, the body attains supreme stability and strength.
  6. HYP 2.20Having filled to the cavity of the throat, retaining firmly with the bandhas applied with effort, one should practice kumbhaka of sixteen units, and then exhale in thirty-two.
  7. HYP 3.5Mahāmudrā, Mahābandha, Mahāvedha, Khecarī, Uḍḍiyāna, Mūlabandha, and the bandha called Jālandhara...
  8. HYP 3.7Whoever knows Mahāmudrā, Nabhomudrā, Uḍḍīyāna, Jālandhara, and Mūla Bandha — that yogī is worthy of liberation.
  9. HYP 3.8O Pārvatī! The ātman retreats from the lower channel by haṭha; and the prāṇa ascends upward through mudrās and bandhas for liberation.
  10. HYP 3.20Mahābandha, Nabhomudrā, the retention called Uḍḍīyāna, Mātaṅginī, Khecarī and also Mūla Bandha.
  11. HYP 3.24Now Mahābandha: The heel of the left foot is placed on the perineum and the right foot is placed on the left thigh.
  12. HYP 3.27Some believe that the throat lock should be omitted, and that the proper lock is with the tongue pressed against the upper front teeth.
  13. HYP 3.28This [Mahābandha] certainly stops the upward movement of all the nāḍīs;this Mahābandha truly bestows great siddhis.
  14. HYP 3.55Uḍḍiyāna, always taught by the guru as natural, when practiced constantly, even the old person becomes young.
  15. HYP 3.60Pressing the perineum with the heel, contracting the anus, and drawing apāna upward — this is called Mūla Bandha.
  16. HYP 3.61Through the union of apāna and prāṇa, the decrease of urine and feces, even the old becomes young through constant practice of Mūla Bandha.
  17. HYP 3.62By raising apāna and bringing prāṇa down from the throat, the yogi, freed from old age, becomes about sixteen years old.
  18. HYP 3.63Now Uḍḍīyāna Bandha: Since by this bandha the prāṇa flies upward through suṣumṇā, therefore it is called Uḍḍīyāna by the yogis.
  19. HYP 3.64Since the great bird flies upward without rest, that is why it is called Uḍḍīyāna, and the bandha is described there.
  20. HYP 3.65The abdomen should be pulled back and up above the navel.This Uḍḍīyāna Bandha is the lion killing the elephant of death.
  21. HYP 3.66Uḍḍīyāna, always taught by the guru as natural, whoever practices it constantly, even if he is old, becomes young.
  22. HYP 3.67Stretching above and below the navel should be practiced with effort.Whoever practices six months will conquer death without a doubt.
  23. HYP 3.68Of all the bandhas, Uḍḍīyāna is truly the best.When Uḍḍīyāna Bandha is firmly established, liberation occurs naturally.
  24. HYP 3.69Now Jālandhara Bandha: Contracting the throat, the chin should be placed firmly on the chest.This bandha called Jālandhara destroys old age and death.
  25. HYP 3.70Contracting the throat and firmly fixing the mind on the heart — this bandha called Jālandhara destroys suffering and affliction.
  26. HYP 3.71It binds the network of canals and the celestial water flowing downward.Therefore Jālandhara Bandha destroys the multitude of afflictions of the throat.
  27. HYP 3.72When Jālandhara Bandha is performed, characterized by contraction of the throat, the nectar does not fall into the fire nor does the air stir.
  28. HYP 3.73Only by the contraction of the throat, the two nāḍīs should be firmly stopped.This is known as the middle chakra, the bundle of the sixteen ādhāras.
  29. HYP 3.74By contracting the root place and practicing Uḍḍīyāna, binding iḍā and piṅgalā, the flow should be directed to the posterior path.
  30. HYP 3.75By this same method, the air reaches the solution.Then death, old age, illness, etc. do not arise.
  31. HYP 3.76This triad of bandhas is the best, practiced by the great siddhas.Yogis know it as the means to perform all haṭha tantra practices.
  32. HYP 3.92Above the genital organ and below the navel is the supreme Uḍḍīyāna.It is so called because by it the bindu is propelled upward.
  33. HYP 4.79With the air controlled, the mind is controlled;with the bindu controlled, he is free of disease.Having stabilized in the control of the mind, then the bindu stabilizes.
  34. HYP 4.80The mind is certainly the cause of both bondage and liberation for embodied beings.Attached to objects, it enslaves;free of objects, free.

Aṣṭāvakra Gītā 7

  1. ashtavakra-gita 7There is no suffering for me, nor pleasure, nor bondage, nor release.
  2. ashtavakra-gita 5There is no suffering for me, nor pleasure, nor bondage, nor release.
  3. ashtavakra-gita 21Verse 21 of chapter 18: translation based on the original Sanskrit.
  4. ashtavakra-gita 41Verse 41 of chapter 18: translation based on the original Sanskrit.
  5. ashtavakra-gita 72Verse 72 of chapter 18: translation based on the original Sanskrit.
  6. ashtavakra-gita 22Verse 22 of chapter 2: translation based on the original Sanskrit.
  7. ashtavakra-gita 12Verse 12 of chapter 20: translation based on the original Sanskrit.

Yoga Vāsiṣṭha 5

  1. yoga-vasistha 12Attachment and detachment — in them reside bondage and liberation
  2. yoga-vasistha 38There is no bondage nor liberation — what are you saying, seer of truth?
  3. yoga-vasistha 42Without ignorance there is no bondage; without it, there is no liberation
  4. yoga-vasistha 5The mind alone is the cause of bondage and of liberation.
  5. yoga-vasistha 13When, seeing Being-Consciousness, there is nothing else, what desire for liberation could there be there? What bondage could be considered?

Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali 2

  1. Sūtra 3.38By loosening the causes of bondage and knowing the channels of the mind, entry into another body arises.
  2. Sūtra 3.39From mastery of udāna arises non-adhesion to water, mud, thorns, and the like, and ascension.

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 2

  1. Dhāraṇā 55Agitating śakti at the base with intense effort of the bandhas — at the junction of apāna and prāṇa, as said before, [arises] the dawn of Bhairava.
  2. Dhāraṇā 91There is neither bondage nor liberation for me — these are bogeys for the frightened. This universe appears like the sun reflected in waters.

Yoga Yājñavalkya 2

  1. yoga-yajnavalkya 16Whoever thus knows this secret, that yogī participates in liberation. Ignorance is indeed the existence-bondage; knowledge is liberation, without doubt.
  2. yoga-yajnavalkya 2All bondage is created by māyā; liberation comes from the dissolution of māyā. All this is only māyā; that is indeed existence-consciousness-bliss.

Bhagavad Gītā 1

  1. BG 18.30

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