M6:3327 — محسنان هستند کو آن مستطاب / اختران هستند کو آن آفتاب

Translation: Many benefactors there are, but where is that exalted one? Many stars there are, but where is that sun? Meaning: This verse conveys a profound sense of lament and loss for a peerless benefactor, whose presence was singular and incomparable, like the sun among the stars.

This verse, situated within the tale of the debtor and the deceased accountant (Mohtaseb), appears outwardly as a complaint regarding the absence of an unparalleled benefactor. The debtor stands at the Mohtaseb's grave, speaking from a place of lament and despair. He acknowledges that many benefactors exist in the world, and countless stars illuminate the sky, yet none possess the radiance of that 'exalted one' (Mohtaseb) or the brilliance of that 'sun.' Here, the departed Mohtaseb is not merely a good individual but an āya—a sign—of absolute beneficence; a particular manifestation of infinite generosity.

However, the more crucial point is the sudden shift that occurs in the debtor's heart immediately following these verses. This singular lament and praise unexpectedly become a bridge to the eternal Beloved. Rumi himself states that the debtor's eyes open, and he awakens. He comprehends that although this venerable Mohtaseb was like a sweet 'stream,' this stream is connected to a 'sea' that is the source of all goodness. Thus, he no longer lingers at the stream; he turns his gaze from the effect to the cause and resolves to seek the 'sea.' This is precisely Rumi's characteristic move, evident even in the very first verse of the Mathnawi, where the reed complains but, in essence, narrates. The complaint about the loss of a benefactor, in this context, is not an end to the search but the beginning of a deeper narrative about reaching the ocean of divine generosity. This separation, ostensibly painful, does not lead to existential loneliness but rather guides one toward recognizing the Truth that has made us 'guests' in this world.

Indeed, this verse demonstrates that human excellences, however astonishing and unique, are themselves pointers to an absolute perfection. If the light of these 'stars' and the brilliance of this human 'sun' are so captivating, then what must be the true Sun that is the source of all these lights? The debtor attains this knowledge: the purpose is not to linger at the stream but to flow toward the sea. This is a profound existential discovery; the transformation of lament from an earthly loss into the fervent longing for a heavenly union. This is the path Rumi pursues throughout the Mathnawi: seeing a divine sign in every phenomenon and finding the way to Truth through these very indications.

Key takeaways

• The lament for a beloved's absence can be a gateway to recognizing the ultimate source of divine generosity and benevolence.
• Human perfections, like the light of stars, are signs pointing to an absolute perfection and the eternal Sun.
• What appears initially as a complaint or sorrow can, at its core, be a 'narration' of a higher truth.
• The transformation from seeking from a 'stream' to turning towards the 'sea'; a movement from the created to the Creator.
• Separation from earthly benefactors, rather than leading to loneliness, serves as a reminder of union with the eternal Beloved.