M6:945 — باز خرم گشت مجلس دلفروز / خیز دفع چشم بد اسپند سوز

Translation: Once more the heart-kindling assembly has grown joyful; Arise, burn wild rue (espand) to ward off the evil eye. Meaning: This verse declares that the gathering or inner spiritual state has become vibrant and pleasing again, calling for the burning of espand* (wild rue), a traditional protective ritual, to avert any potential harm from the evil eye.

I believe this verse, like many passages in Book Six, captures a specific moment of Nowruz (Persian New Year) within the Mathnawi. Just before this verse, Mawlana speaks passionately about the overwhelming power of love and being subdued by it, feeling like a straw in love's fierce wind. But suddenly, with a tone overflowing with joy, he frees himself from that discourse, declaring: "Pass from this, father, Nowruz has arrived." Our verse immediately follows this moment of spring's revival and transformation, proclaiming news of joy and celebration. The majlis, meaning the assembly of the heart, has once again become fresh (khorram) and heart-kindling (delfrooz). This is not merely a report; it is an invitation. "Arise!" (Khiz) urges us to participate in this joy. Here, Mawlana, like a great mystic, moves from the depths of the philosophy of love and unity to the simplicity and tenderness of a popular custom. Burning espand (wild rue) to ward off the evil eye is an ancient and indigenous ritual, yet in the context of the Mathnawi, it acquires a deeper meaning. It is as if this spiritual exuberance, this boundless ecstasy, is so radiant and dazzling that there is a fear it might not be safe from the gaze of strangers, or even from the narrow-mindedness of those within. This "evil eye" could refer to rationalistic obsessions or dry asceticism that cannot tolerate such passionate devotion. This verse demonstrates that Mawlana never remains mired in pure sorrow. As I have stated elsewhere, the Mathnawi is a book of "polishing away griefs" (Jala' al-Ahzan), not "producing griefs" (Tawlid al-Ahzan). This Nowruz, this renewal of life, repeatedly appears in his poetry as a breaker of repentance and a defiance of reason. He tells us that sometimes one must abandon mere contemplation and surrender to the rushing current of life and love. This implies that even repentance and ascetic practices must at some point lead to the "arrival of opportunity" and the "guard falling asleep"; so that the soul can break free from its shackles and offer gratitude for the Beloved's presence with dance and ecstasy. This "heart-kindling assembly" is precisely the state in which the soul leaps from its imperfections and claps its hands. Here, spring's love has made all intoxication permissible, and we are willing to "pawn our clothes tonight." In these verses, Mawlana bestows upon his audience a joyous and liberating message in the guise of the Nowruz celebration.

Key takeaways

• The transition from philosophical contemplation to the fervent joy of Nowruz celebration.
• Nowruz and spring as symbols of spiritual renewal and divine love's manifestation in the sensory world.
• The notion that profound spiritual joy requires protection (the evil eye) from envious or narrow-minded gazes.
• The embrace of popular, joyful life alongside sublime mystical wisdom.
• An invitation to break free from rigid asceticism and surrender to the overwhelming flow of divine love.