Bandha
(बंध)Literal Meaning
Lock; bind
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
From Sanskrit 'bandh' (to bind); an internal muscular lock — such as Mula Bandha or Jalandhara Bandha — used in hatha yoga to seal and direct prana within the body.
Spiritual Insight & Context
Bandhas act like valves in the body's energetic plumbing, preventing prana from leaking away so it can be consciously channeled upward during advanced practice.