M6:2194 — آن خراسی می‌دود قصدش خلاص / تا بیابد او ز زخم آن دم مناص

Translation: That mill-animal (kharrās) runs, its intention is escape (khalās), So that it may find refuge (manās) from the pain (zakhhm) of that instant. Meaning: The animal turning the mill runs solely to escape the pain of being wounded or goaded, without any conscious intention to fulfill the mill's purpose or yield a product.

I have often emphasized in my lectures that the world and Divine providence do not always appear as they seem on the surface. Sometimes, salvation manifests in the guise of destruction, and good assumes the form of evil. This particular verse by Mawlana is a brilliant example illustrating this 'inversion in the world.' The kharrās, which could be a donkey, ox, or camel turning a mill, runs with its eyes blindfolded, tirelessly rotating the millstone. It moves without cessation, but not with the intention of grinding wheat into flour or extracting oil from sesame.

No, the animal's intention is quite different; its aim is khalās, escape. 'That mill-animal runs, its intention is escape / So that it may find refuge from the pain of that instant.' It is weary of the wounds inflicted upon it, the goads and sharp implements used to make it run. Its sole purpose is to find liberation from this pain and torment. This poor creature is unaware that, as a consequence of its running and turning, burdens are lifted, and benefits accrue. It merely flees from 'fear and pain' (khōf-ō wajaʿ), yet the outcome of its flight is the turning of the wheel of life and the advancement of human endeavors.

This is but an illustration of a broader sociological and ontological principle. As Mawlana himself further explains: 'Just so, every shopkeeper in their shop / Strives for themselves, not the world's betterment.' Every merchant strives for their personal gain, for the prosperity of their shop and the increase of their profit, yet unconsciously and as a consequence of these self-interests, the economic wheels of society turn, and the world flourishes. God has created the world in such a way that even selfish intentions and flights from pain and suffering can unintentionally lead to the common good and welfare. This is the Divine arrangement, 'so that benefits may arise consequentially' (tā masālih hāsil āyad dar tabaʿ); meaning, advantages and good outcomes are realized as a result of these individual and unwitting behaviors. Here, we see that the fear and pain of the kharrās are linked to another purpose within the cosmic order, becoming instrumental. This, in itself, is one of the wondrous subtleties of creation, where Divine action is realized through human or animal actions, driven by diverse motivations.

Key takeaways

• Our actions can have unintended, beneficial consequences that extend beyond our initial motives.
• The world operates on a divine providence that generates common good even from selfish impulses and the avoidance of suffering.
• Mawlana highlights the 'inversion of reality,' where good and salvation are sometimes veiled within what appears to be evil or pain.
• This verse illustrates how God utilizes the animal's fear and pain to set in motion the cycle of production and service to humanity.