M6:49 — هر ستونی اشکنندهٔ آن دگر / استن آب اشکنندهٔ آن شرر

Translation: Each pillar is the breaker of the other; The pillar of water is the breaker of that spark (of fire).

Meaning: This verse asserts that the world's foundation rests upon the perpetual conflict of its elements, where each component possesses the power to dismantle or neutralize the other.

Mowlana, in this verse, points to one of the most fundamental truths of existence: that the world is founded upon opposites. I consider this insight a key not only to understanding cosmic structure but also the very essence of human being.

He had previously spoken of "natural war" (jang-e tabʿi), "active war" (jang-e feʿli), and "verbal war" (jang-e qowl); that is, the perpetual conflict and opposition within natures, actions, and even words and beliefs. This strife, he describes, is fearsome. This particular beyt vividly illustrates this principle in the four elements, these "four strong pillars" (chahār ostūn-e qavī) upon which the roof of the world rests. Each pillar, each element, is a "breaker" (ashkanandeh) of the other.

The example Mowlana provides offers the clearest image: "The pillar of water is the breaker of that spark (of fire)." Water extinguishes and destroys fire; just as fire, in turn, evaporates water and eliminates it. This constant tension and struggle, far from leading to destruction, is the very foundation of the world's stability and dynamism. The cosmos sustains itself through this very "war of opposites." This is a cosmic law that permeates the core of nature and the universe.

I find it crucial to note that this principle, "the creation's foundation was upon opposites" (banā-ye khalq bar azdād būd), is not limited to natural elements. Mowlana immediately extends this cosmological teaching to the human existential realm. If creation is founded on opposites, then "we are inevitably warlike due to benefit and harm" (lājaram mā jangiy-im az zarr o sūd). We humans, being a part of this nature, are not exempt from this rule. Our existence, our soul, and even our inner states are perpetually in struggle and contradiction. One day we are joyful, the next sorrowful; today in love, tomorrow detached. These "contrary states" (ahvāl-e kheslāf-e hamdigar) within us are the root cause of many of our external conflicts and struggles with others. Mowlana here makes an ethical-pedagogical leap, asking: "Look at such a mighty war within yourself / Why then are you preoccupied with the war of others?" The real problem lies within us, and until this inner war is resolved, external peace remains an impossibility.

Key takeaways

• The foundation of the cosmos and creation is built upon the conflict of opposites.
• Each fundamental element of the world acts as a breaking or neutralizing force against another, determining the world's stability.
• The opposition of water and fire symbolizes the perpetual struggle of conflicting forces in existence.
• Humanity's contentious nature, driven by the pursuit of benefit and avoidance of harm, is rooted in this very contradictory structure of the universe.
• Mowlana draws an ethical conclusion from this cosmic discussion: our external conflicts are reflections of our own inner battles and contradictory states of being.