Bandagi :: Meditation

Gem No. 13: In which form does the Holy Imam appear in bandagi?

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Ya Ali Madad! This post has five parts.

Part 1. Knowledge Section on Bandagi:

Let us reflect on the following teaching of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.)

"Farmâvyu kê jâ kimti chij amo inayat karie chie tâ amâru nâm chhê, jo kharâ yakinthi mârâ farmân pramânê châlo to jê nâm tamnê âpiyo chhê tê rup tamê joee shaksho. Amnê â swarupmâ joee shaksho nahi, jê nâm hashê ej swarup hashê. Darêk nâmnâ swarup judâ chhê. Tamê evo khyal na karo jê tê ruhânimâ amnê â swarupmâ joee shaksho, e to banvânu nathi."

Literal translation: Mowla said that the most precious thing that I have bestowed upon you is my name. If you practice bandagi with certainty and according to my commands, then you will be able to see the Light which corresponds to the name that I have given to you. You will not see my physical form, but you will see the Light which corresponds to my name. Each name has a different form. You should not think that in the spiritual world you will see me in this physical form because that is never going to happen."(Râjkot, 20-2-1910)

(Râjkot, 20-2-1910)

I think it is worthwhile to re-read the outer and inner meaning of the rope of God:

The practice of bandagi, a luminous prayer at a luminous time with a luminous word, is a key to higher spirituality and luminosity in Ismailism. Esoterically, the Holy Imam's Light enters into the personal world of the murid provided the murid centers his focus on the supreme word, ism-i azam. This is vividly described in the following gem of knowledge on the topic of bandagi:

The tawil of Habl Allah (Rope of Allah) is the Imam of the time and the mechanism for enlightenment of the personal world is through Ism-i Azam:

"God has sent the rope of His holy light from the higher world to the inhabitants of the lower world for the purpose that they may all together hold it fast so that they may be lifted to the higher world (Holy Qur'an 3:103). Externally the luminous rope of Allah is the holy personality of the Imam of the time and internally it is his ever-reaching light. The holy light of the Imam of the time comes to you specially through the ism-i azam (the supreme Name). Thus the Imam within you is the rope of Allah in the position of ism-i azam, to which you have to hold fast in such a way that all faculties of the heart and the mind are turned towards and centered upon it."

(Source: Tawil number 264, A Thousand Wisdoms: An Encyclopaedia of Tawil, pp. 142-143)

Please refer to post number 10 for Mowla's methods of concentrating in bandagi. Let us pray for a Golden Noorani Didar in our foreheads! Ameen.

Part 2. Dhikr Section:

The ism-i azam is the door to luminosity, therefore it is a treasure that should be constantly remembered. Here is a humble dhikr to emphasize this point. Let us pray to NOOR Mowlana Hazar to empower us to practice the luminous prayer at a luminous time with a luminous word, i.e., perform bandagi with ism-i azam, the Supreme Name of God, with a greater effort, strength and enthusiasm.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Ism-i azam: The Great Divine Name

Recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 3. Anant Nâ Nav Chhugâ Verses (Chhugo Number 7, verses 1 to 5):

Recited by Shafiq Rawji

Āshāji	pāki nāri Pahēlājku(n) kahie jēni kidhi narjie sa(m)bhārji nāri thainē Pahēlājaj vāragya tārē potā bharthārnē ghēr hari ana(n)t ana(n)t hari ana(n)tējo svāmi shāh ana(n)tējo a(n)t tu(n)hē jānējē Hari ana(n)t ...................................	1
Oh Lord	We consider Pahelaaj as the ripened (matured) wife whom the Husband looked after well Pahelaaj remained the (devoted) wife and indeed held His hands firmly and therefore reached the home of the Husband Hari You are eternal; ........................	1
Āshāji	nar narinē gheraj āvyā malyā chhē mayadān mi(n)jārji evi e nārinē naraj varyā satie sat mi(n)jār Hari ana(n)t ...................................	2
Oh Lord	The Husband came only to the home of the (devoted) wife and they met in the abundance of mercy It was indeed the Husband who married such a woman (and protected her) and the truthful remained in truth Hari You are eternal; ........................	2
Āshāji	nāri pāki virā tēnēaj kahie jē karē bharthārnē vashji Haricha(n)dhra virā hoija rahyo tē poto hari āvās Hari ana(n)t ...................................	3
Oh Lord	Brothers we only regard a ripened (matured) wife as one who foresakes her (worldly) spouse Harishchandr was the one who maintained that state (he sold his wife at the time of crises) so he reached the habitation of the Lord Hari You are eternal; ........................	3
Āshāji	tēnē narnu(n) ghar jainē mānyo sāchi nāri thayā sāchji satie jārē rāj chhodyā tārē nar sadhāryā tēnē ghēr Hari ana(n)t ...................................	4
Oh Lord	He (Harishchandra) went to the home of the Lord and attained the fruits having served Him and he became the true wife in the true sense When the devotee (Raja Harishchandr) abondoned his kingdom at that time the Lord visited his home Hari You are eternal; ........................	4
Āshāji	nāri thainē tē jiv chālyā jēnu(n) Jujēshtar nāmji nav karod tēnē jivaj tāryā sāryā tē sahunā kāj Hari ana(n)t ...................................	5
Oh Lord	There has been a soul, who has been such a devoted wife in the past His name is Jujeshthann He saved nine crore souls and he perfected the deeds of all of them Hari You are eternal; ........................	5

Part 4. Angelic Salwat
Let us recite angelic salwats to invoke Divine grace and mercy.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad:
O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants

33 beads recited by Noorallah Juma

101 beads recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 5. Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations
Through the barakat of spiritual knowledge, tasbis and angelic salwat by many individuals of the global Jamat, O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam, bless the global Jamat with:

Spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
Sunshine in our spiritual hearts and actualization of the inner vision of the Truth;
Empowerment to present a Material Nazrana of time, knowledge and financial resources;
Empowerment to present a Spiritual Nazrana in the form of a pure heart which is in a state of constant dhikr; and
Empowerment to present a Luminous Nazrana in the form of a sound heart (qalb-i salim) which is in a state of constant dhikr and enlightenment.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Bandagi Gems:

Article by Dr. Noorallah Juma