M6:1999 — چون تو آن او شدی بحر آن اوست / گرچه این دم نوبت بحران اوست

Translation: Since you became entirely His, the sea (of your being) is also His; Even though at this moment, it is His turn for turbulence (bohrān) .

Meaning: Mawlana asserts that when a seeker fully surrenders to the Eternal Beloved, their entire being, including their inner 'sea,' becomes the Beloved's. In this state, even if the inner sea experiences agitation or crisis, this turbulence is not a sign of weakness, but rather a profound connection and a divine overflowing.

In this profound and subtle verse, Mawlana articulates a fundamental point about the relationship between the seeker and the Divine Presence, and how this relationship manifests within the soul. The terms bahr (sea) and bohrān (crisis/turbulence) are not merely homophones here; rather, Mawlana employs an intelligent rhetorical device to extract a deep meaning from their very sonic resemblance.

I have often stated that Mawlana possessed a sea-like being; he was a swimmer in the tumultuous ocean of gnosis, and every oceanic metaphor in his work refers back to his own inner state. This verse is one of its most explicit manifestations. The address, "Since you became entirely His", is directed at the seeker and lover. It states that when you become His—that is, when you reach the station of annihilation (fanāʾ) in Him and become one with Him—then everything you possess, including the 'sea' of your being, "is His." This means you no longer possess anything of your own; your entire being and non-being belong to Him.

However, the central point lies in the second hemistich: "Even though at this moment, it is His turn for turbulence (bohrān)." Here, bohrān is not meant in its conventional sense of calamity or problem. Mawlana himself declares that he complains of nothing in the world, for he does not perceive the world as crooked. This bohrān actually refers to a spiritual effervescence and a delightful agitation that arises in the lover's soul following connection to the source of existence. A calm sea sometimes becomes turbulent, but this turbulence is not a sign of weakness; rather, it indicates its peak power and vitality, just as pearls emerge from the heart of a churning sea. This bohrān is, in fact, the overflowing of grace and precious words from Mawlana's breast, as he says elsewhere: "Set that gem-bearing sea to boil / Kindly inquire today about this patient one."

This inner wail and turbulence, in Mawlana's own words, appears to be a 'complaint' (shikāyat) but is, in truth, a 'narration' (hikāyat). It narrates of a love that was "bloody from the start," so that all who were 'outsiders' would flee from it. This effervescence and outpouring symbolize the existential restlessness of the gnostic, which stems not from the Beloved's absence, but from the Beloved's overwhelming presence and immersion in Him. This is the very state that emanates from the 'two mouths like a reed'; one hidden in the Beloved's lips, and one wailing towards creation, to unveil hidden secrets. This inner bohrān is the very essence of presence, the essence of being alive, and the essence of unmediated belonging to the Divine Presence.

Key takeaways

• Union with the Divine Beloved transforms the seeker's entire being, making it His possession.
• The mystic's inner 'sea,' after annihilation in the Divine, becomes God's own, a mirror reflecting Him.
• The 'crisis' (bohrān) at this station is not a sign of weakness, but a symbol of effervescence, excitement, and the overflowing of divine grace in the lover's soul.
• The spiritual turbulence of the gnostic is the outward manifestation of a deep connection to the source of existence and a divine utterance.
• This 'gem-bearing' effervescence is the manifestation of divine words and gnosis pouring forth from Mawlana's breast into the world.