Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.20
पूरयित्वा मुखे वायुं हृदये चिबुकं दृढम् |
निभृत्य योनिमाकुञ्च्य मनो मध्ये नियोजयेत् ||20||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
having inhaled (pūrayitvā | abs) the breath (vāyum | acc sg) through the mouth (mukhe | loc sg), firmly lowered (nibhṛtya | abs) the chin (cibukam dṛḍham | acc sg) to the chest (hṛdaye | loc sg), and contracted (ākuñcya | abs) the perineal region (yonim | acc sg), one should direct (niyojayet | 3p sg act opt caus) the mind (manaḥ | acc sg) into the centre (madhye | loc sg).
Then inhale through the mouth, bring the chin firmly to the chest, contract the perineum, and gather the mind in the center.
mukhe MBHDL2026 ] tato NS1882
Fill in the air, keeping the chin firm against the chest, and, having pressed the air, the mind should be fixed on the middle of the eyebrows or in the suṣumnâ (the spine).
Having drawn in the breath, place the chin firmly on the breast, contract the anus and fix the mind on the Sushumna Nadi.
Man athme ein, drücke das Kinn fest auf die Herzgegend, drücke den Athem zusammen und konzentrire den Geist auf die Mitte (madhya = sushumna, Com.).
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.21
रेचयेच्च शनैरेव महाबन्धो ऽयमुच्यते ||21||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
And (ca) one should exhale (recayet | 3p sg act opt) very slowly (śanaiḥ eva). This (ayam | nom sg m) is called (ucyate | 3p sg pas pres) Mahābandha (mahā-bandhaḥ | nom sg).
Now exhale very slowly. This is the practice of Mahābandha.
recayec ca śanair eva mahābandho’yam ucyate MBHDL2026 ] om. NS1882
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.21*1
धारयित्वा यथाशक्त्या रेचयेदनिलं शनैः |
सव्याङ्गे च समभ्यस्य दक्षाङ्गे च समभ्यसेत् ||21*1||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Having held (dhārayitvā | abs) the breath according to one's capacity (yathā-śaktyā | ins sg), one should slowly (śanaiḥ) exhale (recayet | 3p sg act opt) the breath wind (anilam | acc sg). Having practised (samabhyasya | abs) on the left side (savyāṅge | loc sg), one should also (ca) practise (samabhyaset | 3p sg act opt) on the right side (dakṣāṅge | loc sg).
Retain the breath only for as long as your strength allows, then exhale slowly. Practise Mahābandha first on the left and then on the right.
yathāśaktyā MBHDL2026 ] yathāśakti NS1882
savyāṅge ca MBHDL2026 ] savyāṅge tu NS1882
dakṣāṅge ca MBHDL2026 ] dakṣāṅge punar NS1882
savyāṅge ca MBHDL2026 ] savyāṅge tu NS1882
dakṣāṅge ca MBHDL2026 ] dakṣāṅge punar NS1882
Having kept it confined so long as possible, it should be expelled slowly. Having practised on the left side, it should be practised on the right side.
Having restrained the breath as long as possible he should then breathe out slowly. He should practise first on the left side and then on the right.
Nachdem man den Athem so lange als möglich angehalten hat, athme man langsam wieder aus. Wenn man dies auf der linken Seite geübt hat, übe man es auch auf der rechten.
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.21*2
मतमत्र तु केषांचित् कण्ठबन्धं विसर्जयेत् |
राजदन्तबिलं तत्र जिह्वयोत्तम्भयेदिति ||21*2||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Here, however (atra tu), some (keṣāṃcit | gen pl) hold the view (matam | nom sg n ppp) that one should release (visarjayet | 3p sg act opt) the throat lock (kaṇṭha-bandham | acc sg). There (tatra), so it is said (iti), one should use the tongue (jihvayā | ins sg) to support (uttambhayet | 3p sg caus opt) the cavity at the Rājadanta (rāja-danta-bilam | acc sg).
Some traditions omit the throat lock here and instead use the tongue to seal the hollow behind the upper incisors.
Brahmānanda preserves a divergent teaching on Mahābandha. Some teachers omit the constriction of the throat and instead hold the tongue above at the front teeth. This tongue lock is said to impede the ascent of wind through every channel except Suṣumṇā, thereby fulfilling the same directing function.
kaṇṭhabandhaṃ visarjayet MBHDL2026 ] kaṇṭhabandhaṃ vivarjayet NS1882
rājadantabilaṃ tatra jihvayottambhayed MBHDL2026 ] rājadantasthajihvāyāṃ bandhaḥ śasto bhaved NS1882
rājadantabilaṃ tatra jihvayottambhayed MBHDL2026 ] rājadantasthajihvāyāṃ bandhaḥ śasto bhaved NS1882
Some are of opinion that the closing of throat is not necessary here, for keeping the tongue pressed against the roots of the upper teeth makes a good bandha (stop).
Some think that the Jalandhara Bandha should be avoided here and that the tongue should be pressed firmly against the root of the front-teeth.
Einige halten dafür, man solle den Kanthabandha (Jalandharabandha) vermeiden, der Bandha, der durch das Legen der Zunge an die oberen (vordersten) Schneidezähne entstehe, sei der beste. Vergl. III. 11.
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.22
अमुं योगी महाबन्धं महासिद्धिप्रदायकम् |
सव्याङ्गे च समभ्यस्य दक्षाङ्गे च समभ्यसेत् ||22||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Having practised (samabhyasya | abs) on the left side (savyāṅge | loc sg) this (amum | acc sg m) Mahābandha that bestows great accomplishment (mahā-siddhi-pradāyakaṃ mahā-bandham | acc sg), the yogi (yogī | nom sg) should also (ca) practise it (samabhyaset | 3p sg act opt) on the right side (dakṣāṅge | loc sg).
The yogi practises the great Siddhi-bestowing Mahābandha first on the left and then on the right.
amuṃ yogī mahābandhaṃ mahāsiddhipradāyakam MBHDL2026 ] om. NS1882
savyāṅge ca samabhyasya dakṣāṅge ca samabhyaset MBHDL2026 ] transp. NS1882 post HP 3.21*1a
savyāṅge ca samabhyasya dakṣāṅge ca samabhyaset MBHDL2026 ] transp. NS1882 post HP 3.21*1a
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.22*1
अयं खलु महाबन्धो महासिद्धिप्रदायकः |
कालपाशमहाबन्धविमोचनविचक्षणः ||22*1||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
This (ayam | nom sg m) is truly (khalu) the great lock (mahā-bandhaḥ | nom sg), which bestows great accomplishment (mahā-siddhi-pradāyakaḥ | nom sg m). It is skilled at releasing the great bond of the noose of death (kāla-pāśa-mahā-bandha-vimocana-vicakṣaṇaḥ | nom sg m).
Mahābandha bestows great Siddhi and, in the imagery of the text, breaks the bond of death's noose.
ayaṃ khalu mahābandho mahāsiddhipradāyakaḥ kālapāśamahābandhavimocanavicakṣaṇaḥ MBHDL2026 ] transp. NS1882 post HP 3.23a
This stops the upward motion of all the Nâdîs. Verily this Mahâ Bandha is the giver of great Siddhis.
This Maha Bandha that confers great Siddhis stops the upward course of the breath through the Nadis except Sushumna.
Aber jener Bandha (der Jalandhara) versperrt aufwärts den Weg in alle Gefässe (nämlich ausser der Sushumna), während der Mahâbandha allerdings grossen Erfolg verleiht.
Wer sich durch den Mahâbandha von des Todes Schlingen Befreiung zu verschaffen weiss, bringt das Zusammenkommen der drei Nâdî (resp. deren Luft) zu Stande, und konzentrirt den Geist auf den Kedara.
Wer sich durch den Mahâbandha von des Todes Schlingen Befreiung zu verschaffen weiss, bringt das Zusammenkommen der drei Nâdî (resp. deren Luft) zu Stande, und konzentrirt den Geist auf den Kedara.
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.23
अयं च सर्वनाडीनाम् ऊर्ध्वंगतिविबोधकः |
त्रिवेणीसंगमं धत्ते केदारं प्रापयेन्मनः ||23||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
This (ayam | nom sg m) also (ca) awakens the upward movement (ūrdhvam-gati-vibodhakaḥ | nom sg m) of all the channels (sarva-nāḍīnām | gen pl). It brings about (dhatte | 3p sg med pres) the confluence at Triveṇī (triveṇī-saṅgamam | acc sg) and should cause (prāpayet | 3p sg caus opt) the mind (manaḥ | acc sg) to reach Kedāra (kedāram | acc sg).
Mahābandha directs the movement of all Nāḍīs upward, creates the inner confluence of the Triveṇī, and leads the mind to Kedāra.
Brahmānanda interprets the Triveṇī Saṅgama, the confluence of three rivers, as the union of Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā. He locates Kedāra, a sacred place of Śiva, between the eyebrows. The verse thus transfers two places of pilgrimage into the subtle body and turns inner concentration itself into a pilgrimage.
ayaṃ ca sarvanāḍīnām ūrdhvaṃgativibodhakaḥ MBHDL2026 ] transp. NS1882 ante HP 3.22*1
ūrdhvaṃgativibodhakaḥ MBHDL2026 ] ūrdhvagatinirodhakaḥ NS1882
ūrdhvaṃgativibodhakaḥ MBHDL2026 ] ūrdhvagatinirodhakaḥ NS1882
This Mahâ Bandha is the most skilful means for cutting away the snares of death. It brings about the conjunction of the Trivenî (Idâ, Pingalâ and Suṣumnâ) and carries the mind to Kedâr (the space between the eyebrows, which is the seat of Śiva).
This frees one from the great noose of king Yama and brings about the union of the three Nadis: Ida, Pingala and Sushumna; it also enables the mind to remain fixed between the eye-brows.
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.24
रूपलावण्यसंपन्ना यथा स्त्री पुरुषं विना |
महामुद्रामहाबन्धौ निष्फलौ वेधवर्जितौ ||24||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Just as (yathā) a woman (strī | nom sg), endowed with beauty and grace (rūpa-lāvaṇya-saṃpannā | nom sg f ppp), is fruitless without (vinā) a man (puruṣam | acc sg), so Mahāmudrā and Mahābandha (mahā-mudrā-mahā-bandhau | nom du), when deprived of Vedha (vedha-varjitau | nom du m ppp), are fruitless (niṣphalau | nom du m).
Without Mahāvedha, Mahāmudrā and Mahābandha remain incomplete, like beauty without a fruitful union.
As beauty and loveliness, do not avail a woman without husband, so the Mahâ Mudrâ and the Mahâ-Bandha are useless without the Mahâ Vedha.
As a beautiful and graceful woman is of no value without a husband, so Maha Mudra and Maha Bandha have no value without the Maha Vedha.
Wie ein mit lieblicher Gestalt ausgestattetes Weib ohne Mann, so sind auch Mahamudra und Mahabandha fruchtlos ohne Vedha.
Haṭha Pradīpikā 3.25
महाबन्धस्थितो योगी कृत्वा पूरकमेकधीः |
वायूनां गतिमावृत्य निभृतं कण्ठमुद्रया ||25||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
The yogi established in Mahābandha (mahā-bandha-sthito yogī | nom sg), one-pointed in mind (eka-dhīḥ | nom sg m bv), having performed (kṛtvā | abs) the inhalation (pūrakam | acc sg) and firmly (nibhṛtam | acc sg n ppp) blocked (āvṛtya | abs) the movement (gatim | acc sg) of the bodily winds (vāyūnām | gen pl) with the throat seal (kaṇṭha-mudrayā | ins sg),
While in Mahābandha, the yogi inhales, gathers the mind, and seals the movement of the breaths with the throat Mudrā.
Sitting with Mahâ Bandha, the Yogî should fill in the air and keep his mind collected. The movements of the Vâyus (Prâṇa and Apâna) should be stopped by closing the throat.
The Yogi assuming the Maha Bandha posture, should draw in his breath with a concentrated mind and stop the upward and downward course of the Prâṇa by the Jalandhara Bandha.
Andächtig in Mahabandha verweilend verrichte der Yogin den Pûraka, und unbeweglich hemme er den Gang des Athems vermittelst der Kanthamudra (Jalandhara, Com.).
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