M4:42 — سایهٔ او را نبود امکان دید / هم‌چو عنقا وصف او را می‌شنید

This couplet establishes the extreme inaccessibility of the beloved prior to the lover's accidental entry into the garden. For eight years, the lover's quest had been fruitless; the beloved was so hidden that not even a shadow—the faintest trace of a physical presence—could be seen.

Rumi compares the beloved to the ʿAnqā (عنقا), a legendary bird in Persian mythology, similar to the phoenix. The ʿAnqā is famous for being known only by its name and reputation; it exists in stories but is never actually seen. This simile powerfully conveys that the beloved was more of a concept or an ideal than a tangible person for the lover. All he had was a description, a second-hand account, which fueled a love for someone utterly beyond his reach.

This emphasis on prior unattainability serves to heighten the miracle of the present moment. The lover, fleeing from what he perceived as a threat (the night watchman), has stumbled into the very presence of this legendary, unseen figure. The contrast between the beloved's mythic remoteness and his sudden, unexpected appearance underscores the story's central theme: a seeming misfortune can be the hidden path to an impossible grace.