M6:3115 — او پریر از دار دنیا نقل کرد / مرد و زن از واقعهٔ او روی‌زرد

Translation: He (or she) departed from the abode of the world just the day before yesterday. Men and women turned pale from the event of his/her passing. Meaning: This couplet describes the profound and unsettling impact of a mystic's spiritual transformation or passing, suggesting that such an event can deeply affect all who witness it.

This couplet, within the broader discourse of Mevlana and its interpreters, hints at the immense, indescribable impact that the light of Truth has on the human soul. It is not merely about a person's physical demise, but rather about a 'departure' and 'transference' from one existential state to another. This very 'transference' and transformation is so profound and awe-inspiring that it causes men and women to 'turn pale' at the 'event.' It is as if, in this realm, death is not the end of life, but the zenith of a metamorphosis where 'seeing' and 'understanding' themselves become an 'event' that weighs heavily on the senses and souls of humankind.

I have often stated that in Mevlana's school of thought, existence and the divine light are so pervasive and penetrating that ordinary eyes cannot bear to behold them. Mevlana touches on this point when he speaks of Moses, peace be upon him, whose face, after the revelations on Mount Sinai, became so radiant that people could not gaze upon it, and even Safura, his wife, sacrificed her eyesight for this vision. This 'paleness' of men and women is not merely from the grief of loss, but from the sheer magnitude of the event. It is as if the 'vision' was so intense, so sharp and burning, that it transformed both the soul of the seer and the souls of those who observed this transformation.

This couplet must be understood within the framework of that mystical gaze towards divine light and manifestation. The divine light is both 'sweet' and 'disruptive,' robbing man of his tranquility and compelling him to 'transfer' and move. This 'transfer' is the fundamental transformation in the mystic's being; and this event, as the couplet suggests, impacts society. People who may not be direct witnesses to this manifestation, nonetheless experience deep bewilderment and astonishment from the reflection of that event in the mystic's being. They are unaware of the depth of this transformation, yet they perceive its outward manifestation as an 'event' that disturbs all tranquility and brings forth 'paleness' and agitation. Here, the 'narration' and 'complaint' of the reed are heard within society, even if that society is oblivious to the event's true origin.

Key takeaways

• The 'departure from this world' refers to a profound inner transformation, not merely physical death.
• The 'event' of divine manifestation on the mystic is so intense that even external observers are affected and 'turn pale.'
• This couplet emphasizes the pervasive nature of divine light, which is difficult for ordinary people to bear.
• Mystical transformation is not a purely individual event; it has collective repercussions, even if the public does not grasp its depth.