Download the PDF
The complete reference — opens directly, no email, no sign-up.
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha — first published in 1969 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati — is the most-cited technical reference for breath, mudra and bandha in the modern yoga literature. It is the working text on the bookshelf of every Kundalini teacher at Samadhi Yoga Ashram, and the reference we return to across our Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainings.
Or study it with a teacher
Pranayama and mudra are very difficult to learn alone. A teacher in the room makes the difference.
About the text
What is Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha?
Swami Satyananda Saraswati was a disciple of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh and one of the most important systematisers of yoga practice in the 20th century. He founded the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963 with the aim of organising the classical practices into a curriculum that ordinary students — not just renunciate monks — could safely follow. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha (commonly abbreviated APMB) was his attempt to put the technical foundation of that curriculum into a single reference.
The book is not a philosophy text. It does not argue, contextualise or interpret. It describes, technically and practically, what each asana looks like, how each pranayama is performed, what each mudra and bandha does. Every practice has a photograph or diagram, step-by-step instructions, the precautions and contraindications, the traditional benefits, and the place the practice holds in the larger sadhana.
For anyone teaching or studying Hatha or Kundalini yoga seriously, it is unavoidable. We have not encountered a senior teacher in the Bihar, Sivananda or related lineages who has not read it — usually more than once.
The four sections of the book
- Asana — the practices of physical posture organised by family (standing, seated, backbends, twists, inversions) with detailed instruction, photographs, contraindications and the traditional understanding of each pose's effect.
- Pranayama — the classical breath practices, from the foundational nadi shodhana through bhastrika, kapalabhati, ujjayi, sheetali and the more advanced retention practices. Built systematically so a student can progress safely.
- Mudra — the gestures, both gross (hands and body) and subtle (energetic), with their traditional purpose in pranayama, meditation and the awakening practices of kundalini yoga.
- Bandha — the energy locks (mula bandha, uddiyana bandha, jalandhara bandha and the combined maha bandha), how to perform them, when to use them, and the safety precautions involved.
In our Kundalini trainings
How APMB is used at Samadhi Yoga Ashram
APMB is the technical reference behind every Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training we run. The kriyas, the bandhas, the pranayama sequences — they all trace back to the practices documented in this book.
100 Hour Kundalini, Tantra & Meditation YTT
Foundational kundalini course at the ashram. APMB is the technical reference behind the pranayama and mudra modules — students learn nadi shodhana, bhastrika, kapalabhati and the foundational mudras with the book as their working guide.
200 Hour Kundalini Yoga TTC (Rishikesh)
The full RYS 200 Kundalini program. APMB is the working text across the kriya yoga module, the bandha workshops and the pranayama practicum — every technique is read, demonstrated, practised, and reviewed against the book\'s instructions.
300 Hour Kundalini, Tantra & Meditation YTT
Advanced kundalini training. At this level we work through APMB\'s more challenging pranayama (advanced retention, the bandha-coordinated practices) and the kriya yoga sequences that depend on them. Reading the book once is not enough at this level.
500 Hour Kundalini RYT
Combined RYS 500 in kundalini. The whole APMB curriculum — asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha — is covered across the 100/200/300 hour blocks that make up our 500 hour combined certification.
A note on practice
Read the book. But practise with a teacher.
This book describes the practices with unusual care. You can learn a great deal from reading it. But there is a small, important set of practices — especially the advanced pranayama with retention, the bandha-coordinated kriyas, and the kundalini-awakening sequences — that you should not attempt alone.
Not because the book is unclear, but because the subtleties of feel matter. Whether your jalandhara bandha is actually engaging or you are just tucking your chin. Whether your kumbhaka is steady or you are forcing it. Whether the mudra is correct on the inside as well as the outside. These are things a teacher in the same room can see and correct in a second; they are things the book can only describe.
Read the book. Begin with the foundational practices — nadi shodhana, the simple asanas, the basic mudras. When you are ready for the deeper material, come and practise it under guidance.
Frequently asked
Questions about the APMB PDF
Is this Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha PDF free to download?
Yes — the PDF opens directly with no email required. We host the text in our free yoga library at Samadhi Yoga Ashram because it is the working reference behind our Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainings and one of the most-used pranayama and mudra textbooks in the modern yoga world.
Who wrote Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha?
Swami Satyananda Saraswati, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga, originally published the book in 1969. He was a disciple of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh and dedicated his life to systematising the classical practices of asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and meditation into a curriculum suitable for modern students.
What does APMB cover?
The book is a complete reference for the technical side of yoga practice — every major asana with photographs and step-by-step instructions, every classical pranayama with its variations, every mudra (gesture) and bandha (energy lock) used in Hatha and Kundalini yoga, and the relationship between these techniques and the energetic body.
Why is APMB important for Kundalini yoga?
Kundalini sadhana depends on precise breath control, mudras and bandhas — the kriyas would not work without them. APMB is the canonical reference for these techniques in the modern yoga literature. Every Kundalini teacher in our trainings has read it cover to cover, and most return to it weekly.
Can I learn pranayama and mudra from a book?
Up to a point. The book is excellent for understanding what a technique is, how it is structured, and what its traditional purpose is. But pranayama and mudra involve subtleties of feel that are very difficult to learn alone. Most students need a teacher to confirm that their breath retention, their nostril contact, their internal lock is actually doing what the book describes.
Where do you teach these techniques at the ashram?
Across our Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainings — the 100 hour kundalini-tantra-meditation course, the 200 hour kundalini RYS, the 300 hour advanced kundalini RYS and the combined 500 hour. The book is a constant companion to all of them.
Train in this lineage
Read APMB. Then come practise with us.
The book is the technical reference. The practice is sitting in front of a teacher who has spent years in these kriyas, pranayama and bandhas. Begin with our 200 Hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh.
Feel Free To Contact Us
If you have any queries about courses at Samadhi Yoga Ashram, please reach out. Our team usually replies within 24 hours and can help with course details, schedules, accommodation, payment options and travel logistics.
Other Courses You May Want
Explore More Programs at Samadhi Yoga Ashram
Also Available In Bali
Learn From Home - Online Courses
