M1:1559 — کان فلان طوطی که مشتاق شماست / از قضای آسمان در حبس ماست

This couplet is the core of the message the caged parrot sends with its master to its kin in India. The parrot, a symbol for the soul trapped in the material body (the cage), is expressing its deep longing (shawq) for its true home and companions — the world of the spirit and other liberated souls. By referring to itself in the third person as “that certain parrot” (فلان طوطی), it creates a sense of objective distance, as if describing a tragic case rather than its own personal complaint.

The phrase “by heaven’s decree” (از قضای آسمان) is crucial. The parrot does not blame its master directly but attributes its captivity to a higher, cosmic fate. This isn't simple resignation; in Sufi thought, recognizing that one's condition is part of a divine plan is the first step toward understanding its purpose. The soul's imprisonment in the body is not a random accident but a decreed part of its journey toward spiritual awareness and eventual freedom.