M6:2250 — چون نماند بیشه و سر در کشد / بیشه‌ها از عین دریا سر کشد

Translation: When the reed-bed no longer remains and pulls its head back, then (new) reed-beds will emerge from the very essence of the sea. Meaning: This verse describes a cycle of dissolution and re-emergence: when apparent forms and manifestations recede, they return to their primordial source, from which they will ultimately reappear.

Sources: s01 [00:00:00] (general sea-metaphor) s09 [04:40] (بی‌صورتی) s10 [01:00:21] (جان اصل است و بدن فرع)

This verse holds within it a profound image of the nature of existence and the dynamic flow of manifestation and latency. Mowlana, throughout the Mathnawi, likens the cosmos to a vast sea upon which various forms, like foam and reed-beds, appear and then vanish. This perspective, intrinsically linked to Sufi wahdat al-wujood (unity of existence), emphasizes that all we perceive in the world of multiplicity is, in essence, a manifestation of the singular sea of being.

I interpret this as Mowlana's vision of 'formlessness' (bī-ṣūratī). The concept of formlessness is one of the most crucial insights in the Mathnawi, suggesting that this world of forms has emerged from the formless. The reed-bed (bīshe) and the reed-bank (neyestān) here symbolize the forms and multiplicities of the world, which at first glance appear to have independent existence. However, the 'pulling back of the head' (sar dar kashad) by the reed-bed signifies the dissolution of these forms and their return to their origin. This dissolution is not mere annihilation, but rather an immersion into the formless, shapeless sea of unity. As I have often noted, Mowlana and the mystics perceive existence as alive and conscious, and this return to the origin is a kind of awakening and recognition of home.

When the reed-beds 'emerge from the very essence of the sea' (az ʿayn-e daryā sar kashad), it indicates that after dissolving into unity, they reappear in new forms. This re-emergence is not creation ex nihilo, but a fresh manifestation and revelation from the same singular source. The sea here symbolizes the absolute and formless reality, which is both the origin of all multiplicities and their ultimate destination. This aligns with the Mathnawi's teaching that 'the soul is the origin, and the body is the branch.' The forms of the world are but the foam on the sea; the soul is the sea itself. If one possesses purity (ṣafāʾ), one must transcend the foam and reach the water.

This perpetual cycle of dissolution and subsistence can be understood both individually and cosmically. On an individual level, the human soul, after shedding the constraints of forms and material attachments (pulling its head back), re-emerges from the sea of its inner truth (the essence of the sea) into a deeper knowledge and a more sublime existence. This resonates with the prophetic saying, 'He who knows himself has known his Lord.' Self-knowledge, in this view, is a path to returning to the singular origin and reappearing with new understanding and insight. Therefore, one should not fear this dissolution, for it is, in reality, the gateway to subsistence and a deeper existence, not absolute annihilation. It is a return to the hidden treasure within, a treasure Mowlana frequently alludes to in many of the Mathnawi's tales.

Key takeaways

• All apparent multiplicity in the world is a manifestation of the singular sea of existence.
• The dissolution of forms is not annihilation, but immersion into the formless sea of unity.
• The re-emergence of forms from the sea is not creation from nothing, but a fresh manifestation from the same singular source.
• The formless sea is both the origin of all multiplicities and their ultimate destination.
• The cycle of dissolution and subsistence operates on both individual (soul) and cosmic (existence) levels.

Sources: s01 [00:00:00] (general sea-metaphor) s09 [04:40] (بی‌صورتی) s10 [01:00:21] (جان اصل است و بدن فرع)