M1:3095 — چونک جمع مستمع را خواب برد / سنگهای آسیا را آب برد

Translation: When the assembly of listeners fell asleep, The water carried away the millstones.

Meaning: This verse illustrates that when an audience loses its spiritual alertness and receptivity, the flow of profound wisdom and divine inspiration is diverted from them.

This profound couplet offers an insightful image of the transmission of truth and the flow of knowledge in Mowlana’s thought. I believe that Mowlana, particularly in the Masnavi, takes on the role of a teacher (mu'allim), quite distinct from the stormy, ecstatic voice of his Divan-e Shams. As such, he is keenly aware of his audience's capacity and preparedness. He knows that the language of truth can sometimes be sharp and piercing, as he states elsewhere: "Points are as sharp as steel swords; if you have no shield, retreat!"

The phrase, "When the assembly of listeners fell asleep," is a metaphor for a lack of spiritual readiness, a failure to comprehend, or even a resistance to profound truths. This 'sleep' is not merely physical, but a spiritual numbness, an inability to remain vigilant and receptive to the insights that emanate from the unseen world. Through this expression, Mowlana conveys that the reception of divine inspirations and sacred truths is not unilateral; it does not solely depend on the speaker. It demands alertness and openness from the recipient as well.

Here, the "millstones" symbolize the minds and hearts of the audience, which are meant to process and internalize these insights. The "water," without a doubt, refers to divine grace (fayd-e ilahi), heavenly inspiration, the current of knowledge and wisdom, and the hidden truths that rain upon the poet's heart and flow from his tongue. Mowlana suggests that when ears are closed and eyes are slumbering, this flowing water – which ought to turn the millstones and grind the grains of truth into the flour of understanding – bypasses the stones and continues on its path. In other words, the flow of grace and wisdom does not cease, but it withdraws from those closed and inattentive vessels.

This couplet imparts a deep lesson about the "etiquette of the audience" and the "conditions of listening." Mowlana, through this analogy, articulates that the comprehension and absorption of spiritual realities are contingent upon the listener's inner state and spiritual readiness. If the heart is unprepared, if the mind is unwilling to grasp, or if the veils of heedlessness and worldly concerns obscure one's vision, even the clearest waters of knowledge will remain unfruitful. This is not a complaint against the audience, but a statement of a universal principle in the realm of knowledge: divine grace flows wherever there is the potential for reception, and wherever it encounters an impediment, it alters its course. This verse signifies Mowlana's acute awareness of the delicate nature of his message, knowing that not every ear can bear to hear, nor every heart to accept.

Key takeaways

• The reception of spiritual knowledge and divine inspirations is conditional upon the listener's readiness and alertness.
• Mowlana, as a teacher, modulates his speech according to the audience's capacity for understanding.
• The 'water' of knowledge (divine grace) bypasses those who are spiritually 'asleep' and unreceptive.
• Inattention and spiritual numbness hinder the comprehension of profound truths.
• Some truths are 'sharp' and piercing; without proper preparedness, they can be harmful.
• Mowlana's 'silence' and moderation of speech are acts of pedagogical wisdom.