M6:158 — سر دیگر هست کو گوش دگر / طوطیی کو مستعد آن شکر

Translation: There is another secret, which requires a different ear; a parrot that is ready for that sugar (truth). Meaning: Rumi expresses that profound and sweet truths exist, but revealing them requires a special listener who is prepared and receptive to these inner meanings.

Here, I discern a profound intimation from Mawlana; he speaks of an "other secret" (سر دیگر), a truth so subtle and profound that it cannot be articulated to just any ear. This "secret" arises in context of his preceding discussion about the angels' prostration to Adam and Iblis's refusal, which itself unveils a fundamental difference in the very essence of "soul" (جان). Yet, this "other secret" is even more subtle and challenging to convey.

Mawlana explicitly asks: "Where is a different ear? Where is a parrot ready for that sugar?" This expression underscores the magnificence and, simultaneously, the solitude of the mystic. He possesses "sugar" (شکر) — which represents pure truths and profound divine insights — but he seeks a parrot capable of tasting this sugar and appreciating its value. The parrot in mystical literature symbolizes one with the capacity to receive and echo truths, but here the emphasis is on its readiness (مستعد); that is, an inner capacity to comprehend that sweet meaning.

Mawlana further clarifies this distinction: "Special parrots have a deep candy; common parrots have their eyes closed to that sustenance." This means that select, discerning parrots—or disciples—can find the deep candy and profound meanings, while common parrots (ordinary, unprepared listeners) are deprived of this spiritual sustenance, their eyes being closed to it. This distinction among recipients highlights that while Mawlana's words ostensibly address everyone, they contain layers of meaning accessible only to receptive hearts.

He then alludes to dervishes and poverty, saying: "How can the dervish of form taste of that charity? That is meaning, not faʿūlun fāʿilāt." This brilliant couplet elucidates the difference between the "dervish of form" and the "dervish of meaning." The dervish of form is one who attends only to the outer aspect and structure, not to the inner essence and truth. Mawlana, by invoking prosodic terms like faʿūlun fāʿilāt, subtly criticizes those who become engrossed in the outward meter and form of poetry, thereby missing its profound meaning. His discourse transcends mere poetic meters; what he offers is "meaning" (معنی), not merely rhyme and rhythm. He himself has said elsewhere that "Mufaʿtilun mufaʿtilun mufaʿtilun has slain me," indicating that his free spirit could not be contained by metrical constraints.

This point about the "dervish of form" is further elaborated with the analogy of "Jesus's donkey": "The giver does not begrudge sugar to Jesus's donkey, but the donkey by nature craves straw." This powerful allegory reinforces the truth that there is no deficiency in the "sugar" (truth) nor stinginess in the "giver" (the mystic), but rather the "recipient's" (listener's) capacity and readiness are the primary conditions. Some, by their very nature, do not seek sugar and cannot comprehend it. This is precisely why Mawlana often chose silence; perhaps sometimes the "different ear" and "ready parrot" were not to be found, and the secrets remained unspoken.

Key takeaways

• Profound spiritual truths are not revealed to everyone; they require specific capacity and readiness.
• Mawlana distinguishes between listeners who focus on the outer form of words and those who grasp their inner meaning.
• "Sugar" symbolizes divine truths and deep insights, which only receptive "parrots" (souls) can comprehend.
• The emphasis on a "different ear" and a "ready parrot" indicates that expressing truths requires a kindred and understanding audience.
• The inability to comprehend these truths stems not from the mystic's reluctance, but from the recipient's nature and lack of preparedness.