M6:1184 — چون بوَد آن تشنه‌ای کو گل چرد‌؟ / آب بر سر بنهدش خوش می‌برد

Translation: How would be the state of that thirsty one who grazes on mud (for water)? When water envelops him from above and joyfully carries him away. Meaning: This verse depicts the condition of someone desperately parched, who has resorted to consuming mud in a futile attempt to quench their thirst, only to be suddenly overwhelmed by a vast, life-giving flood of water that lifts and transports them with elation.

This beyt, spoken by Hilal in the story of 'Hilal's Awakening and the Sun's Dream,' depicts the zenith of a profound mystical experience—an experience Mowlana himself undoubtedly lived and attributes to another within this narrative. In response to the Prophet's inquiry about his state, Hilal describes his spiritual condition through two extraordinary metaphors: the dream of 'the sun in his mouth' (the preceding beyt) and the state of 'a thirsty one who grazes on mud' (this beyt) only to be then submerged in the water of life. These parables transcend mere storytelling; they illustrate a monumental inner transformation, moving from the depths of despair to the heights of union.

The phrase 'a thirsty one who grazes on mud' serves as a profound symbol for the seeker who, in the throes of ultimate need and desperation, turns to trivial, worthless, or even harmful means to quench the soul's thirst. Perhaps they resort to superficial knowledge, fleeting worldly pleasures, or anything that not only fails to satisfy the spirit's longing but merely postpones it or even exacerbates its illness. In this state, they are not only deprived of pure water but, by 'grazing on mud,' find themselves in an even more desperate plight. This imagery powerfully conveys the seeker's profound need and simultaneous deviation from the true path.

Yet, a sudden, immense divine grace intervenes: 'water envelops him from above and joyfully carries him away.' This 'water' is no mere sip or drop to momentarily alleviate thirst; it is a torrent of the water of life, an boundless bounty far exceeding anything previously imagined, completely engulfing the seeker. The water not only quenches his thirst but fully embraces him, 'joyfully carrying him away.' The key here is 'joyfully carries him away'; this expression signifies not drowning or annihilation, nor being overwhelmed and destroyed, but rather a joyful liberation, an elated soaring, and a profound saturation. In this state, the seeker, without any effort of their own, is borne aloft on the wave of divine grace and reaches their destined abode.

Mowlana further elucidates this meaning in the subsequent beyt, linking it to the analogy of Jesus walking on water: 'Like Jesus, the Euphrates holds him aloft / How could he perish, immersed in the water of life?' This means that the water of life cherishes him so much that he neither drowns nor perishes, but remains suspended above the water, much like Jesus walking upon it. This life-giving immersion brings security and immortality, connecting him to the wellspring of existence. This image portrays a state of 'union' (wuṣūl) and 'certainty' (yaqīn), which Mowlana deemed rare commodities and for which he presented the Masnavi as a path. This experience is, in the truest sense, 'a polish of griefs' (jalāʾ al-aḥzān) and the 'removal of sorrow.' The seeker is freed from all that previously preoccupied them and is swept into the mighty current of divine beneficence. This is the very formlessness (bī-ṣūratī) that Mowlana repeatedly emphasizes; this formless, colorless water dissolves the seeker's being within itself, connecting them to the source of existence. This is why Mowlana never speaks of 'loneliness' (tanhāʾī), but always of 'separation' (judāʾī); for even in separation, the Beloved is present, and this beyt, in the most beautiful way possible, promises a return to that Origin.

Key takeaways

• From Despair to Union: This verse illustrates how even the most desperate seeker can be engulfed in divine grace.
• Formlessness: The shapeless, colorless water symbolizes divine grace and truth, dissolving the seeker's individual being into the source of existence.
• The Price of Mud-Grazing: It speaks to inadequate, even detrimental, attempts to quench the soul's thirst, setting the stage for the subsequent grand divine gift.
• Experience Beyond Imagination: 'Joyfully carries him away' signifies a joyous liberation and elevation, not drowning, but safety within immersion.
• Promise of Attainment and Certainty: This state embodies the union (wuṣūl) and certainty (yaqīn) that Mowlana considered rare commodities, for which the Masnavi served as a guide.