M2:1397 — آفتابی خویش را ذره نمود / واندک اندک روی خود را بر گشود

This beyt appears in the context of Dhul-Nun al-Misri's imprisonment, where he is seen by the common folk as a madman. Rumi uses the metaphor of the 'sun' (آفتاب) to represent the spiritual master, a being of immense light and truth, and the 'mote of dust' (ذره) to represent his outward, seemingly ordinary or even flawed appearance to the uninitiated. Just as a brilliant sun might dim its light or appear as a tiny speck to avoid overwhelming those who cannot bear its full intensity, the master 'made himself into a mote of dust.'

The phrase 'And little by little unveiled its face' (واندک اندک روی خود را بر گشود) suggests a gradual, deliberate revelation. The master doesn't immediately display his full spiritual grandeur, which would be incomprehensible or even frightening to the masses. Instead, he reveals his true nature incrementally, allowing those who are ready to perceive it to do so without being consumed by its intensity. This is a recurring theme in Sufism: the need for divine truth to be veiled or presented in an accessible form to protect both the truth and the seeker. It also highlights the ignorance of the common people (خلق) who, unable to comprehend the master's 'madness' (جنون), imprison him, failing to see the sun hidden within the dust.