M6:1255 — آن گدا در رفت و دامن بر‌کشید / اندر آن خانه بحسبت خواست رید

Translation: The beggar entered and pulled up his garment / In that house, he resolved to relieve himself. Meaning: This verse recounts a beggar who, finding nothing of any use or value in an utterly empty house, decided to defecate in it as a definitive act of contempt and to underscore its worthlessness.

Mowlana, like many sages and mystics, frequently employs parables and allegories to unveil profound truths. This verse is part of the story of a dervish who enters a house, and no matter what he asks for from the homeowner — bread, fat, flour, water — he receives no answer but 'none.' Ultimately, in the face of this utter 'nothingness,' the beggar resorts to an act that signifies ultimate scorn and declares the house's complete uselessness.

I strongly contend that Mowlana here metaphorically equates the empty house, devoid of necessities, with the 'house of the heart' or the 'house of the mind' of a human being that is empty of virtues. If within a person's soul there is no knowledge, no good deeds, no sincerity, no virtue, and no insight in their perception, then what good is such an utterly hollow existence? What purpose does it serve? Through this harsh and biting allegory, Mowlana seeks to instill dread and despair in the audience, prompting them to look within themselves and recognize the extent of their inner emptiness. This is a bitter reminder that a barren existence, even lacking basic sustenance, descends to a profoundly debased state.

The crucial aspect here is Mowlana's poignant, sharp humor. Just as Obeyd Zakani, in a similar anecdote, speaks of a house where every inquiry is met with 'none,' concluding that relatives should rather mourn the house's inhabitants, Mowlana takes this nothingness to its ultimate extreme. When a house offers no 'reason to live,' it offers 'reason to defecate.' This moral shock and astonishment serve as a catalyst to awaken a dormant conscience.

Yet, Mowlana, behind this bleak imagery, invariably conceals a message of hope and a path out of this destitution, as he himself states: 'Of course, like everywhere else, a message and a hope are embedded in this story, which we shall see.' This verse, in essence, is a prelude to a larger question Mowlana immediately poses: if you are neither a hunting falcon, nor a peacock, nor a sweet-speaking parrot, nor a melodious nightingale, then 'what are you doing? And for what are you bought?' It is here that the beggar's act becomes a symbol of the existential futility of a being devoid of any art or virtue. This is not merely a complaint; it is a fundamental diagnosis of the condition of an unprincipled human.

Key takeaways

• This verse symbolizes a house, and by extension, a soul, devoid of any knowledge, virtue, or good deeds.
• Through his act, the beggar illustrates the utter worthlessness and fruitlessness of an existence barren of spirituality and virtue.
• Mowlana uses this bitter humor to call the audience to introspection and to recognize their own inner destitution.
• The anecdote serves as a prelude to the profound question: what purpose does a barren, unvirtuous existence serve in this world?
• Similar to Obeyd Zakani's tales, Mowlana employs biting wit to awaken the conscience.