A bandha () is a kriyÃÂ in Hatha Yoga, being a kind of internal mudra described as a "body lock," to lock the vital energy into the body. Bandha literally means bond, fetter, or "catching hold of".
MahÃÂ Bandha ("the great lock") combines all the other three bandhas, namely:
In Ashtanga Yoga, these three Bandhas are considered to be one of the three key principles of yoga practice.
Mà «la bandha is a primary bandha in traditional yoga. The earliest textual mention of mà «la bandha is in the 12th century Shaiva Natha text Goraká¹£aà Âataka which defines it as a yogic technique to achieve mastery of breath and to awaken the goddess Kuá¹Âá¸Âalinë.
Mula Bandha (Sanskrit: à ¤®à ¥Âà ¤² à ¤¬à ¤Âà ¤§) is from Mà «la, meaning variously root, base, beginning, foundation, origin or cause.
Goraká¹£haà Âataka defines mà «la bandha as:
Iyengar defines Mà «la Bandha as "A posture where the body from the anus to the navel is contracted and lifted up and towards the spine". This is qualified in that the actual muscle contracted is not the sphincter muscle nor the muscle which cessates urination, but the muscle equidistant between the two.
Maehle defines it as "root lock" and further specifies that:
Mà «la Bandha is a primary Bandha in traditional yoga. Iyengar likens the functionality of the Bandha and especially Mà «la Bandha to "safety-valves which should be kept shut during the practice of kumbhakas". He specifies the energetic prÃÂá¹Âas of VÃÂyus engaged through Mà «la Bandha as: "...ApÃÂna VÃÂyu (the prÃÂá¹Âa in the lower abdomen), whose course is downwards, is made to flow up to unite with PrÃÂna VÃÂyu, which has its seat within the region of the chest." He cautions that "Mà «la Bandha should be attempted first in antara kumbhaka (retention after inhalation). The region of the lower abdomen between the navel and the anus is contracted towards the spine and pulled up to the diaphragm. He further states that "While practicing Mà «la Bandha, the yogi attempts to reach the true source or mà «la of creation."
Uá¸Âá¸Âëyana bandha (Sanskrit: à ¤Âà ¤¡à ¥Âà ¤¡à ¥Âà ¤¯à ¤¨ à ¤¬à ¤¨à ¥Âà ¤§), also called abdominal lock or upward lifting lock, is the abdominal bandha described and employed in hatha yoga, in particular in the nauli purification. It involves, after having exhaled all the air out, pulling the abdomen under the rib cage by taking a false inhale while holding the breath and then releasing the abdomen after a pause. The process is repeated many times before letting the air into the lungs, resuming normal breath.
Jalandhara bandha (, IAST: JÃÂlandhara bandha) is the chin bandha described and employed in Hatha Yoga.
JÃÂlandhara bandha comes from JÃÂla, web or net and () dhara, "holding".
This bandha is performed by extending the neck and elevating the sternum (breastbone) before dropping the head so that the chin may rest on the chest. Meanwhile, the tongue pushes up against the palate in the mouth.