M6:3556 — برجهید از خواب انگشتک‌زنان / گه غزل‌گویان و گه نوحه‌کنان

Translation: He sprang from sleep, snapping his fingers, Sometimes singing ghazals, sometimes lamenting. Meaning: This verse describes a man (the intermediary) who, after experiencing a profound spiritual dream, awakens with a complex blend of joy, ecstasy, and a touch of sorrow, recalling his past.

This verse immediately follows a narrative where Mawlana recounts a significant, revelatory dream experienced by an intermediary (paymard). In this dream, a recently deceased, hospitable host reveals a debt he owed and precious jewels he had hidden to repay it. This dream, in essence, is a manifestation of divine grace and foresight, ensuring the host's honor and fulfillment of his promise. However, the intermediary's reaction upon waking is a profound and instructive point.

I observe him leaping from sleep, angushtak-zān—snapping his fingers, a clear sign of joy and exhilaration. Given the dream's content, which heralded a divine providence, such happiness is perfectly natural. Yet, what is striking is that alongside this joy, he is also gah nowḥa-konān—sometimes lamenting. This blend of elation (snapping fingers and singing ghazals) and sorrow (lamenting) appears contradictory, but it has deep roots in Mawlana's worldview.

This scene is a vivid embodiment of azdād (contraries), a principle pervasive in the order of creation. Mawlana repeatedly emphasizes in the Masnavi that the world is built upon the interplay and struggle of opposites. As the ancients posited, lawlā al-taḍādd mā ṣaḥḥa dawām al-fayḍ ʿan al-mabdaʾ al-jawād (were it not for contraries, the continuous flow of divine grace from the generous Originator would not be sustained). In this verse, this contradiction manifests within the human soul and its reaction to a truth beyond appearances. Mawlana says, Ay nehādeh hūsh-hā dar bī-hūshī / Khwāb dar benhādehī bīdārehī (O You who have placed awareness within unawareness / You who have set wakefulness within sleep). It is God who places wakefulness within sleep and awareness within unawareness.

Here, the act of lamenting is not a complaint against destiny, as one might find in certain other poets. Mawlana, as I have often pointed out, is not one to complain about the world; he views creation as perfect and good. The lament here is a form of 'green sorrow'—a grief that arises from the recognition of separation from one's aṣl-i khwīsh (original essence or homeland). This sorrow is not despairing; rather, it is a poignant reminder of eternal roots and the primordial source of humanity. The intermediary, upon witnessing this dream imbued with divine grace, seems to have returned to his 'Hindustan' and awakened. Just as an elephant dreams of Hindustan, so too does a human, through dreams and inner revelations, recall their 'original self.' This remembrance of union and the observation of divine bounty both create an intense yearning for reunion (accompanied by singing ghazals) and reawakens the sorrow of separation, however temporary. This 'lament' is, in fact, a narration of separation, not a complaint against it.

Therefore, this verse is a living portrait of Mawlana's light-hearted yet profound spirit. He teaches us that spiritual experiences, even those overflowing with grace and revelation, can encompass a wide spectrum of emotions, from the peak of joy to the melancholic remembrance of separation. This combination is not a contradiction, but the existential truth of humanity on its journey back to its origin—a path where both joy and sorrow are inseparable components.

Key takeaways

• Joy and sorrow, though seemingly contradictory, are interwoven in mystical experience, both arising from inner revelation and spiritual insight.
• Dreams and inner discoveries can serve as windows to one's 'original self' (aṣl-i khwīsh) and existential roots, prompting remembrance and a journey towards reunion.
• The 'lamenting' (nowḥa-konān) in this context is not a complaint against destiny, but an authentic, 'green' sorrow stemming from the perception of separation from the origin of being, serving as a catalyst for return.
• Mawlana, through the image of 'snapping fingers and lamenting,' beautifully illustrates the philosophy of azdād (contraries) within human existence and creation, showing how opposites are intertwined and vital for life and movement.
• Even at the peak of spiritual joy, the memory of separation from the true homeland does not fade, yet this remembrance is accompanied by lightness of spirit and hope for reunion.