M6:1858 — آن نمکسار معانی معنویست / از ازل آن تا ابد اندر نویست

Translation: That salt-marsh of meanings is spiritual, From eternity to eternity, it is ever in newness. Meaning: The spiritual realm, akin to a salt-marsh, dissolves all distinctions into pure unity; this realm is perpetually fresh, untouched by the wear and tear of time.

This verse unveils another 'salt-marsh,' one that transcends the physical and even the psychic: the salt-marsh of meanings. Earlier, Mawlana spoke of the corporeal salt-marsh – the soil that renders all diverse human bodies equal in the grave – and of 'Jesus's vat of unity' that dyes all clothes to any desired color. Now, the discourse elevates to the realm of meaning. In this spiritual salt-marsh of meanings, all distinctions, differences, and 'colorations' (talvīn-hā) vanish, and everything reverts to a fundamental unity. Just as a physical salt-marsh transforms a dead donkey into salt, this spiritual realm strips all meanings and concepts of their particularities, leading them to pure oneness.

The unique contribution of this verse, however, lies in its emphasis on the 'newness' of this spiritual salt-marsh: "From eternity to eternity, it is ever in newness." This newness is by no means the conventional newness we perceive in this world, which is always opposed by oldness. Aging and decay are products of time and its passage. But the realm of meanings, which Mawlana calls the 'spiritual salt-marsh,' exists beyond time. Azal (eternity without beginning) and Abad (eternity without end) here are not temporal concepts but signify a supra-temporal plane. In a realm where time does not rule, oldness holds no meaning, and all that exists is absolute newness.

Mawlana has a profound philosophy regarding 'weariness' or 'boredom' (malāl). Malāl and depression arise from perceiving oldness and failing to see the constant newness of the world. Our world, too, according to Mawlana, is perpetually renewing itself: "This world becomes new every day, and we, unaware / Of newness, remain in continuity." Yet, due to our mental habits and the swift passage of phenomena, we fail to grasp this newness—much like a fire-spinner whose rapid rotation creates the illusion of a continuous circle of fire. Gnostics (ʿārifān), through their continuous perception of this newness and the 'perpetual creation' (khalq-i mudām) of existence, are freed from malāl: "Grief does not abide in the minds of the gnostics."

The newness of the realm of meaning, however, is not like the newness of this world, which involves repetition and opposites. "That newness without opposite, without likeness, and without number" neither has an antagonist nor a peer, nor is it confined by multiplicity or number. This is the pure unity that, from eternity to eternity, remains in freshness and vitality. This newness is the true essence of the higher world, which constantly manifests itself, free from any weariness or repetition. Even prophets, as suns of newness, create 'a hundred thousand types of darkness became light' with their advent, ushering in a new era in human history. This newness, like the light of Mustafa, obliterates all shadows of difference and oldness within itself.

This continuous newness also stands in stark contrast to the concept of 'loneliness' (tanhāyī) as found in Western philosophies. In Mawlana's worldview, even amidst 'separation' (judāyī), the Beloved's connection and presence are constant. The perpetual newness of the realm of meaning underscores the active and creative presence of Truth, which never 'eclipses' or 'tires.' It is we who are oblivious to this newness, not that the Beloved is absent. This verse paints a picture of a realm where unity, freshness, and the eternal presence of Truth dominate all things.

Key takeaways

• The realm of meaning is a spiritual 'salt-marsh' where all multiplicities and differences dissolve into absolute unity.
• The newness of this realm of meanings is absolute, eternal, and beyond time and any form of decay.
• Oldness and weariness stem from our misperception of the constant 'perpetual creation' and newness of the world.
• Gnostics, by perceiving the continuous newness of existence and constantly renewing themselves, are freed from the bondage of malāl (weariness/boredom).
• This newness, being 'without opposite or number,' emphasizes the eternal and creative presence of Truth, negating any absence or weariness in the essence of existence.