Jalandhara Bandha is one of the Ten Mudras described by Hathayogapradipika and one of the 25 Mudras described by Gheranda Samhita. This Bandha is one of the three bandhas considered as essential component for the practice of Pranayama or Kumbhaka.

Jalandhara Bandha which is usually translated as chin lock is one of the important component of the practice of Kumbhaka. It is to be adopted immediately after the completion of Putraka i.e. controlled inhalation. Those who do not practice Mulabandha or Udiyana Bandha while practicing Kumbhaka, even they are required to practice Jalandhara Bandha in order to eliminate any adverse effect of the practice of Kumbhaka.

Technique

The technique of Jalandhara Bandha mainly consists in contracting the front area of the neck and taking the whole face from the chin towards back and then placing the chin on the jugular notch by bringing the face downward ( HYP III / 70 ).

Text mentions following important effects of this practice:

  1. Nectar oozing from the moon is restricted above the neck region and thereby it can’t be swallowed up by the sun at the navel(HYP III / 71 ) .
  2. It destroys all kinds of diseases / sufferings related with the throat (HYP III / 71 )
  3. Vayu does not get disturbed(HYP III / 72 ).
  4. The two Nadis ( Ida =left nostril and Pingala = Right nostril) are firmly blocked which means the Vayu neither can come nor go out through these two passages as a result of Jalandhara Bandha (HYP III / 73).
  5. It binds properly the sixteen adharas. Sixteen adharas have been described in Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati (A hathayogic text considered to be authored by Gorakshanath) . These Sixteen adharas are located between toe to top of the head. These are used for Pra¸a dhara¸a /meditation for various effects. The Jalandhara Bandha binds all these sixteen adharas which facilitates Pra¸adhara¸a on a particular adhara ( HYP III / 73 )