M6:1157 — میر را گفتند که آن سلطان رسید / او ز شادی بی‌دل و جان برجهید

Translation: They told the Mir that the Sultan had arrived; He, from joy, leaped up, losing his heart and soul. Meaning: A local lord (Mir) is told of the Prophet's imminent arrival. Overcome with immense joy and the mistaken belief that the visit is specifically for him, he leaps up in an uncontrollable outburst of emotion, as if his heart and soul have left him.

This couplet vividly portrays the unrestrained joy that can overwhelm a person upon receiving monumental news, causing them to lose themselves entirely. The Mir, or lord, is informed that "the Sultan" — unequivocally referring to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) here — is approaching. The Mir's reaction, "He, from joy, leaped up, losing his heart and soul," signifies the utmost ecstasy and self-forgetfulness; as if, from the sheer intensity of delight, he has lost control of his heart and soul and has recklessly sprung into the air. This reaction, in itself, reflects a naive assumption, which is unveiled in the subsequent couplets: the Mir mistakenly believes that this King of Kings has come specifically to visit him.

However, the fundamental point that Mawlana skillfully articulates, and which I have consistently emphasized, is that this joy, despite its fervent and seemingly pure outward appearance, is rooted in illusion. This hidden "nakhwat" — a subtle self-importance that assumes oneself to be the center of the world — leads the Mir to believe he is the Prophet's focal point. Here, we can connect this moment to the concept of "self-knowledge" (khvishtan-shenāsī), which Mawlana posits as the "root of the root of the root of religion" in the Masnavi. The Mir, in this moment, is oblivious to himself; unaware of his true station and the Prophet's real purpose.

Mawlana, throughout the Masnavi and even at the very beginning with "Listen to this reed," teaches us the distinction between "complaint" (shekāyat) and "narration" (ḥekāyat). Here, too, a narration is unfolding that outwardly shows joy and welcome, but its inner essence requires correction. The Prophet (who is the "chider" and not the "complainer") in the following couplets moderates this assumption. This is a profound lesson for seekers: any excitement and joy, however outwardly sacred, if it passes through the lens of the "self" and "self-interest," requires purification and rectification. This "nakhwat," which the Prophet immediately "repelled," is of the same dust that settles on the mirror of the heart, preventing the light of truth from being accurately reflected. The seeker must be immune to such "self-imagining."

This couplet, like many of Mawlana's parables, also carries a deeper ontological layer. We are the "foam of the sea" and the "forms of the world," while our essence is the "soul," which is the "root, and the body is the branch." The Mir loses himself in this physical and superficial joy, without realizing the essence and core of the Prophet's presence. He is enchanted by the "form" and "outward appearance" of the arrival, not the "meaning" of this sacred presence. This is where Mawlana's concept of "formlessness" (bi-ṣūratī) comes to aid: truth, like water and light, is formless and takes on any mold. The Mir's joy is a mold of a greater truth that he has not yet understood.

Ultimately, this scene can be viewed as a test for the seeker's "state" (ḥāl). Does our reaction to encountering the sacred spring from self-interest and hope for personal gain, or from utter submission and the understanding of its impersonal truth? Mawlana clearly shows that on the path of gnosis, every perceived "self" must become a "reed" (nay) and be "effaced" (maḥw) for the "melody" (navā) to arise from it.

Key takeaways

• The Mir's joy stems from an illusion of self-importance, which the Prophet corrects; this is a lesson in "self-knowledge."
• A seeker's excitements and joys, if filtered through self-interest, require purification.
• The couplet underscores that the Prophet (as "Sultan") does not come for a 'particular individual,' but his presence carries broader, deeper meanings.
• Encountering the sacred must lead to "formlessness" and the "effacement" of the ego, not its reinforcement.
• Mawlana distinguishes between "joy" born of illusion and "ecstasy" arising from profound understanding.