M6:2538 — این شه ترمد ازو در وهم بود / وز فن دلقک خود آن وهمش فزود

Translation: This Shah of Tirmidh was perpetually in apprehension of him (the Khwarazmshah), And his own jester's art intensified that apprehension.

Meaning: The Shah of Tirmidh lived in constant fear of the tyrannical Khwarazmshah, and the jester, through his specific craft, only managed to heighten the king's existing dread.

This particular couplet unveils a slice of the historical atmosphere in which Rumi himself lived. The Shah of Tirmidh in this narrative is gripped by apprehension and fear, a dread imposed by the tyrannical Sultan Muhammad Khwarazmshah. This Khwarazmshah is the very historical figure whose cruelty forced Rumi's father, and Rumi himself, to flee Balkh and embark on a long migration. He was an imprudent and bloodthirsty character who, as Rumi describes, had the audacity to kill an envoy from Genghis Khan, thus paving the way for an invasion that brought nothing but the ruin and burning of cities. This calamity, truly, descended upon our history like a divine scourge, and we are, to this day, inheritors of its bitter legacy; the wounds from which we still suffer.

Here, Rumi meticulously portrays the psychological state of the king: "He was with sorrow and caution," meaning he was perpetually fearful and circumspect, lest he be overthrown by a mere signal from the Khwarazmshah. This obstinate ruler had already brought many other kings to ruin, either through trickery or sheer might. The jester, in this context, does not bring solace to the king's fear; instead, with his peculiar art, he exacerbates this illusion and anxiety.

I observe that Rumi, at this juncture in the story, has placed not only the king but all of us, the readers of the Masnavi, in a state of apprehension and anticipation. He leaves us thirsting and eager to hear the continuation of the tale, to discover what secret this jester, with his unique method, will reveal. This is an example of Rumi's mastery in advancing the narrative and creating suspense, demonstrating how by describing a psychological state and adding an external element, he elevates the dramatic tension of the story and engages the audience.

Key takeaways

• This verse illustrates the pervasive fear and apprehension prevalent during the era of Sultan Muhammad Khwarazmshah.
• Rumi uses the king's terror to paint a broader picture of the general anxiety of that historical period.
• The jester's role here is to amplify the king's delusion and fear, serving as a device to heighten narrative suspense and drama.
• The beyt functions as a narrative prelude, building anticipation for a larger revelation within the story.