M1:143 — فتنه و آشوب و خون‌ریزی مجوی / بیش ازین از شمس تبریزی مگوی

Translation: Seek no strife, tumult, nor bloodshed; Speak no more of Shams-e Tabrizi than this.

Meaning: Here, Mowlana restrains himself from speaking further about Shams-e Tabrizi, fearing that revealing more of his secrets could ignite discord and unrest.

I emphatically state that this couplet is a crucial and breathtaking moment in the entire Masnavi; a moment when Mowlana deliberately shifts from direct speech about Shams-e Tabrizi to recounting his own spiritual state and narrating tales. This beyt not only illustrates Mowlana's linguistic restraint but stems from a deeper source: a conscious and deliberate self-censorship. He is not addressing the reader here, but rather cautioning himself: "Speak no more of Shams-e Tabrizi than this." This, as we know, is quite rare in the Masnavi. Mowlana explicitly mentions Shams by name only three times in the entire work, and this beyt, in essence, justifies that very abstinence.

Why does Mowlana do this? Without a doubt, the answer lies in his fear of provoking "strife, tumult, and bloodshed" (fitna va āshūb va khūn-rīzī). He knew well that an uninhibited articulation of his relationship with Shams, or of Shams's radical and tradition-breaking teachings, would draw agitators and fault-finders into the arena. Such strife could have grave social, jurisprudential, and even personal consequences, and Mowlana did not wish to ensnare the clear stream of divine knowledge in the whirlpool of these disputes. Therefore, he prefers to remain "silent" and allow the truth to flow veiled within allegories and narratives.

This self-restraint brings him back to the Masnavi's core strategy: "Listen attentively to the story itself." He tells us that his true spiritual state must be sought within the heart of the tales and symbols. What cannot be stated explicitly can be conveyed within a narrative; where truth flows like water beneath ice, perceivable only by hearts attuned to listen. The Masnavi, as I have stated before, is Mowlana's "travelogue of the soul," and he writes this travelogue not by revealing every detail, but by رمز (code) and کنایه (allusion), so that we may embark on that journey with our own hearts and discover our own "present state" (naqd-i hāl) within it.

This act of Mowlana's – turning away from explicit naming towards storytelling – stands in profound contrast to the approach of some other poets who voice everything in their hearts. But Mowlana, due to his unique mission and the social exigencies of his time, chooses the path of caution and prudence; a caution that springs not from weakness, but from his deep wisdom and foresight (ma'āl-andīshī) and his avoidance of discord. He prefers to keep the sea of divine knowledge calm so that seafarers can cross it safely, rather than obstructing the path for himself and others with storms and chaos. This is what he says elsewhere: "A hundred knots are tied beneath my tongue"; sometimes, expediency dictates silence over speech.

Key takeaways

• Mowlana deliberately refrains from explicit speech about Shams-e Tabrizi in this couplet.
• The reason for Mowlana's self-restraint is his fear of igniting "strife, tumult, and bloodshed" by agitators.
• This couplet explains why Shams's name is mentioned only three times throughout the entire Masnavi.
• Instead of direct revelation, Mowlana adopts the strategy of "listen attentively to the story itself" to convey truth through narrative.
• This beyt illustrates Mowlana's wisdom and prudence in avoiding conflict to preserve tranquility for the transmission of spiritual knowledge.