M6:2636 — آن اشر چون جفت آن شاد آمدی / پنج ساله قصه‌اش یاد آمدی

Translation: That mouse, when its joyful companion arrived, / Remembered its five-year story. Meaning: This verse illustrates how, in the presence of a cheerful and intimate friend, one's deep memories and past narratives come to mind, leading to an expansion of the heart.

The Masnavi, within the seemingly simple narrative of a mouse and a frog, elucidates profoundly deep insights into the nature of human communication and understanding. This particular verse continues the description of the intimate companionship between the mouse and the frog, where Mevlana speaks of the expansion of their hearts (انبساط خاطر) in each other's presence. Their hearts unfurl through this encounter, as if a window to their inner worlds is thrown open.

Akey and immeasurably significant point Mevlana introduces in these verses is the concept of 'sharing secrets with and without language' (رازگویی با زبان و بی‌زبان). It is not the case that everything originating from within must necessarily be cast into words. Indeed, a major part of understanding and meaning transfer occurs irrespective of spoken language. In truly deep and intimate company, inner thoughts and memories, without being uttered, flow from one breast to another. The recipient perceives them through the other's demeanor, gaze, and movements. This form of communication, transcending linguistic frameworks, is a kind of sensory and intuitive reception.

Mevlana's insight here has a broader scope, extending even to the discussion of revelation and inspiration. When God speaks to angels, or when messages reach the hearts of prophets, it is not always through a specific human language like Persian or Arabic. This 'speaking without language' is a conduit through which the secrets and truths of the cosmos manifest upon the soul, not through letters and words, but through another modality. Language is merely one means of communication; there are many other hidden paths through which one becomes aware of mysteries, and 'heart speaks to heart,' as Mevlana himself says: Secrets from hearts to hearts will flow / Through hidden paths, both solace and woe. (می‌رود از سینه‌ها در سینه‌ها / از ره پنهان صلاح و کینه‌ها).

Therefore, when the mouse finds itself beside its joyful companion and 'remembers its five-year story,' it is not merely a sterile act of recall. Rather, the presence of such a congenial friend creates a safe and receptive space where hidden layers of memories, experiences, and past sorrows can emerge. Even if they remain unspoken, within the embrace of this profound intimacy, they are understood and accepted. This is the healing and enlightening power of companionship that activates self-awareness and recollection, unburdening the heart of its heavy loads.

Key takeaways

• The presence of a joyful and intimate companion expands the heart and brings solace.
• Deep human connection transcends verbal communication; a significant part occurs 'without language'.
• In sincere companionship, inner memories and experiences flow from one being to another without needing words.
• Mevlana's concept of 'speaking without language' extends to the transmission of divine revelation and the apprehension of intuitive truths.
• Recalling one's past story in the presence of another signifies finding a safe space for self-awareness to emerge.