M6:943 — هر خماری مست گشت و باده خورد / رخت را امشب گرو خواهیم کرد

Translation: Every hangover became drunk and drank wine; Tonight we shall pawn our clothes. Meaning: This verse describes a moment of absolute surrender to divine love's wine, where all thirst and residual sobriety transform into intoxication, prompting the seeker to abandon all worldly attachments, including reputation and outward appearance, for the sake of this ecstatic experience.

“Every hangover became drunk and drank wine; / Tonight we shall pawn our clothes.” This couplet paints a vivid picture of mystical intoxication and self-abandonment, especially within the context of Mowlana’s Nowruz verses in the sixth book of the Masnavi. Mowlana suggests that with the arrival of “opportunity” (فرصت) and the “watchman” (پاسبان) falling asleep—perhaps a metaphor for the calculating intellect or those who criticize—the flood of love has swept away repentance. This is a profound and passionate expression of inner transformation.

‘Khamār’ (خمار) here does not merely signify the after-effects of drinking wine; rather, it denotes a state of profound thirst, or that existential stubbornness that has not yet reached the fervor and intoxication of love. Mowlana suggests that in this “opportunity” that has presented itself, even those in a state of ‘khamār,’ those unawakened souls, have become intoxicated. This is a universal invitation; no one is excluded from this feast of love. The wine of love engulfs everyone, liberating them from their sober state. There is no longer a distinction between those who were already drunk and those who have just joined the revelers; all became drunk and drank the wine.

The more crucial part, however, is “Tonight we shall pawn our clothes” (رخت را امشب گرو خواهیم کرد). To pawn one’s clothes (رخت گرو گذاشتن) is a metaphor for sacrificing one’s possessions, reputation, honor, and indeed everything that constitutes one's outward existence, in pursuit of that inner desired state. When one declares, “I shall pawn my clothes,” it means being ready for any sacrifice, any renunciation of the world and its inhabitants. This is the zenith of passionate abandon, the ultimate fearlessness and detachment.

This act is precisely in line with the ‘muḥw’ (effacement) that Mowlana speaks of elsewhere: “Muḥw is needed here, not naḥw, know this.” It is as if one must efface one's entire self, transcend form and appearance, and attain formlessness. Clothes symbolize form and outward appearance; pawning them signifies going beyond these external determinations to achieve the formless truth of love. This detachment is not born of compulsion but of fervor and free will. It stems from an overwhelming yearning that leaves no room for calculation or caution.

The phrase “tonight” (امشب) also emphasizes the immediacy and present-oriented nature of the mystical experience. The opportunity for love is momentary and instantaneous. The Sufi is ibn al-waqt (child of the moment); he surrenders to the present, casting no thoughts to tomorrow. This “tonight” is an opportunity for the direct experience of love, one that tolerates no delay. In this specific moment, the boundary between hangover and intoxication is dissolved, and everyone is suddenly immersed in the boundless sea of love. This signifies jubilation, the splendor of life, the very jalā’ al-aḥzān (polishing of griefs) and light-heartedness that Mowlana advocates; not the sorrow and grief of separation, but the intoxication of liberation and union.

Key takeaways

• ‘Khamār’ (hangover/thirst) here signifies the state preceding intoxication or a deep yearning for the wine of love, which transforms into ecstasy with the 'opportunity' of Nowruz.
• To 'pawn our clothes' symbolizes the ultimate mystical surrender and sacrifice; letting go of all outward attachments, reputation, and worldly existence for the immediate experience of divine love.
• This verse embodies the Sufi's 'effacement' (muḥw); moving beyond form and appearance to the formless truth of love by shedding the 'garment' of outward identity.
• The term 'tonight' emphasizes the immediacy and present-orientation of the mystical experience; the opportunity for love is instantaneous and cannot be delayed.
• The verse reflects Mowlana's characteristic jubilation and light-heartedness; it is about freedom from the burden of repentance and calculation, immersing oneself in the uninhibited joy of love.