The short source passage
The Gheranda Samhita names Nabho separately and describes an upward tongue position together with retention. In Mallinson’s edition this is 3.7; the SanskritDocuments transcription places the corresponding passage at 3.9. Giving both coordinates avoids an apparent disagreement caused only by numbering.
A later teaching comparison
Sivananda’s instructions use Nabho for an upward tongue position as an alternative for those without the longer preparation described for Khechari. His wording also associates the name with Manduki. That is a particular teaching usage; the Gheranda Samhita lists Nabho and Manduki as separate names.
Keep the scale of the account clear
A brief description leaves practical questions unanswered. This page does not fill those gaps with an invented tongue exercise or add a hold to the beginner breathwork. It explains what the text connects, how another teacher uses the term, and why a name should travel with its source. Compare Khechari to understand the difference between this short reference and the much larger body of material attached to that seal.
Sources and scope
Main edition
Gheranda Samhita, James Mallinson (2004)
Passage for this reading
- Gheranda Samhita, James Mallinson (2004)
3.7, printed p. 61.
YogaVidya.com publisher excerpt, introduction and chapter 3, printed pp. 60–71. This is a sample, not the entire book.
- Gheranda Samhita, Sanskrit
3.9 and list 3.1–3; Manduki 3.62–63.
SanskritDocuments transcription. Coordinates refer to this transcription; Mallinson’s edition uses different numbering in chapter 3.
- Kundalini Yoga
“Instructions On Mudras And Bandhas,” item 7.
Swami Sivananda; Divine Life Society, tenth edition 1994, authorized web edition 1999. Traditional teaching, not clinical evidence.
What this edition covers
An original reference essay comparing the traditional descriptions. It is not a translation of the entire source chapter.
Limits and differences
The prose above identifies material differences. Traditional explanations and promised attainments are attributed to their sources; they are not clinical evidence. Review date: September 11, 2026.