M6:3229 — احول دو بین چو بی‌بر شد ز نوش / احول ده بینی ای مادر فروش

Translation: When the squint-eyed (amblyopic) one, seeing double, was deprived of the taste (of truth), O mother-seller, you are the one seeing tenfold! Meaning: This verse, continuing the parable of the man denied bread in Kashan for bearing the name "Omar," addresses the double-visioned person (ahwal) who is deprived of grasping unity. It then contrasts this ahwal with an even more spiritually blind individual, an "O mother-seller" who perceives a tenfold multiplicity, symbolizing extreme moral depravity and utter loss of true vision.

This verse is embedded within a profound and allegorical tale in the Masnavi, a story about a man named 'Omar' who, in the Shi'ite city of Kashan, is denied bread by every baker. Here, Mawlana introduces the idea of the ahwal, one who, due to a squint or double-vision, perceives two things where there is only one. Yet, in this specific verse, he goes further, addressing someone who is not merely 'double-visioned' (do-bin), but 'tenfold-visioned' (dah-bīni), meaning they perceive multiplicity not twice, but ten times over, and are thus utterly deprived of comprehending unity.

My reading of "ahwal do bīn cho bī-bar shod ze nūsh" suggests that the individual whose inner eye is distorted, seeing reality in dualities, is deprived of tasting the truth and the sweetness of unity. This deprivation of 'taste' or 'fruit' (bī-bar shod ze nūsh) symbolizes the loss of authentic spiritual sustenance, much like the 'Omar-named' man in the parable was denied a simple loaf of bread. This bread, in its allegorical sense, represents spiritual provision and the blessing of truly perceiving reality.

However, Mawlana does not stop there. He then employs an exceedingly sharp and unsparing expression: "ahwal dah bīni ay mādar forosh". This term, "mother-seller" (mādar forosh), which in our culture is considered a grave insult, here serves as a metaphor for the ultimate vileness and the abandonment of all ethical foundations and values. One who 'sells their mother' has, as it were, squandered their roots, their origin, and the very source of their being. Such a person not only sees truth in dualities but is so engulfed in the abyss of multiplicity that they become alienated from their own essence and have 'traded' it away. The zenith of inner corruption and moral decay is thus painted through this extreme perception of multiplicity.

In the broader context of the narrative, Mawlana indicates that it is this ahwali vision that causes humanity to wander aimlessly in "Kashan-e khāk"—this world of nature and matter. It is the plight of one who moves from one shop to another, from one alley to the next, without truly knowing their destination. This signifies the profound 'loss of meaning in life' that leads to aimlessness and despair. The remedy for such wandering, according to Mawlana, lies in changing one's inner 'name' from 'Omar' to 'Ali.' This is not a sectarian statement, but an allegory for a transformation of vision: from a multiplicity-perceiving and divisive outlook (represented by Omar in the tale) to a unity-perceiving and comprehensive one (represented by Ali). When this singular vision is attained, then 'bread' (spiritual sustenance) arrives without contrivance or detour.

What Mawlana asks of us is to cultivate an eye that recognizes truth, enabling us to "see the Beloved filling the expanse of both worlds" (dost por bīn ʿarṣe-ye har do sarā). If this vision materializes, we are liberated from the constant 'being transferred' (havāle-ye jā be jā) and the wandering in the "Kashan of fear and hope." Life then reclaims its meaning. We can then, like Mawlana himself—who said, "I walk boldly, as if I were going home / I do not turn my head, nor walk like a thief"—step courageously and confidently in this world, for we know with whom we stand and to which destination we are headed. This verse is, in essence, a cry against those who see only multiplicity, a cry rising from Mawlana's profound monotheism, warning of the dire consequences of spiritual distortion and the loss of the perspective of unity.

Key takeaways

• The 'double-visioned' (ahwal) person is a metaphor for the failure to perceive unity, leading to deprivation from truth.
• The 'mother-seller' symbolizes the pinnacle of vileness and moral decay, stemming from extreme perception of multiplicity and the squandering of one's existential roots.
• The parable of the 'Omar-named' man in Kashan illustrates the aimless wandering in the material world for those lacking a monotheistic, unity-seeing perspective.
• Liberation from wandering and the attainment of life's meaning are found in achieving a unified vision and perceiving the manifestations of the Divine throughout all existence.