M1:1749 — بند کن چون سیل سیلانی کند / ور نه رسوایی و ویرانی کند

Translation: Hold back, for the flood flows like a torrent; Otherwise, it will bring disgrace and ruin. Meaning: In this verse, Mowlana admonishes himself to restrain his ecstatic outpouring of spiritual secrets, warning that unchecked expression can lead to scandal and devastation.

This verse offers a profound glimpse into Mowlana's inner state, a rare moment when the curtain is drawn back on his soul. It arises immediately after Mowlana, amidst the tale of the Parrot and the Merchant, is abruptly seized by the memory of his true homeland and the sorrow of separation (firaq). He becomes so inflamed that he calls himself a "whale of fire" and, without reservation, pours forth the secrets of his heart. It is at this peak of passionate expression that he spontaneously admonishes himself: "Hold back, for the flood flows like a torrent."

I interpret this as coming from the very core of Mowlana's being. He senses that his words, his fervor, his excitement, have begun to flow like a raging flood. This is a torrent of divine knowledge and spiritual secrets, gushing from the spring of his inner self. Yet, any flood, no matter how blessed, can also be destructive if it overflows its banks. Here, the danger of "disgrace and ruin" (رسوایی و ویرانی) is invoked.

I see this disgrace and ruin in two aspects: First, the disgrace from the perspective of the common folk, those who lack the capacity to bear such unveiled truths. As I have emphasized in earlier sessions, Mowlana employs the pen-name Khamūsh (silent) to keep certain truths veiled, precisely because "some subtleties are sharp as a steel blade." If this flood were to flow unchecked, it might harm some listeners or lead to grave misunderstanding. Second, it signifies the ruin of conventional forms and mechanisms of expression. Such an overwhelming volume of fervor and ecstatic state shatters the vessel of language and discourse, exceeding its capacity.

But who is Mowlana to fear ruin? He immediately, in the very next verse, dismisses this fear, declaring: "What grief do I have if there is ruin? / Beneath the ruin lies the royal treasure." This statement is the key to understanding his approach to this "ruin." He not only does not fear ruin, but he desires it, for beneath this apparent destruction lie royal treasures and profound insights. This means that what others perceive as ruin and disgrace is, for him, the very destination and the path to truth.

This dynamic highlights a fundamental difference between Mowlana's mystic fervor and ordinary self-restraint. He knows his tongue can become a "flood," yet he simultaneously welcomes this torrent because he understands that it is the channel for liberation and the attainment of hidden treasures. This is that "deep sorrow" that runs beneath the surface of his most joyful hymns – a sorrow born not of despair, but of firaq and the ardent longing for union, ultimately leading to infinite treasure.

Key takeaways

• At the peak of his mystical revelations, Mowlana admonishes himself to rein in the fervor of his speech.
• Unrestrained expression of inner secrets can lead to "disgrace" among the uninitiated and the "ruin" of conventional forms of discourse.
• The "torrent" is a metaphor for the gushing of spiritual knowledge and ecstatic emotions from within the mystic.
• Mowlana ultimately does not fear this apparent "ruin"; he even desires it, as it conceals "royal treasure" beneath.
• The verse illustrates the internal tension between the desire for absolute disclosure and the necessity of self-restraint in articulating mystical truths.