M6:305 — شمع را هنگام خلوت زود کشت / ماند هندو با چنان کنگ درشت

Translation: They quickly extinguished the candle at the moment of privacy; The Hindu (the deceived slave) was left with that coarse, crude man.

Meaning: During the intimacy of the wedding night, the candle was swiftly put out to conceal the deception, leaving the naive groom (Faraj) with a rough and unrefined substitute.

This couplet unveils a story that Rumi employs to illustrate the world's deceptive allure and superficial charm. I maintain that Rumi here crafts not merely a humorous anecdote, but a profound ontological allegory. The narrative revolves around a slave named Faraj who, anticipating union with a beautiful beloved, begins his wedding night. However, his master orchestrates a ruse: instead of a lovely girl, a crude, beardless youth (an amrad) is adorned in bridal attire. Rumi subtly remarks, "He showed him a hen, but delivered a rooster," meaning they gave him a feminine appearance, but his essence was masculine.

"Kong" in this verse signifies something "coarse, crude, and rough." It refers to the youth, outwardly decorated with henna and bridal ornaments, yet inherently unrefined. This is the very truth Rumi seeks to convey about the material world. "They quickly extinguished the candle at the moment of privacy"; this extinguishing of the candle symbolizes the concealment of truth, the obscuring of the crude and unreal nature of that "coarse kong." The world, too, acts in this manner; when humans become engrossed in it, the light of truth is taken from them so that its rough and unrefined essence is not revealed. The "Hindu" here symbolizes Faraj, the naive and deceived slave—someone who is content with appearances and oblivious to reality.

Further in Rumi's story, the slave cries out and groans under the weight of that "coarse kong," but no one hears him: "The Hindu cried out in wails and lamentations / From outside, no one heard amidst the drum-beaters." Here, the depth of Rumi's allegory becomes evident: the outside world is engrossed in celebration (the beat of drums, claps, and shouts of men and women) and oblivious to the hidden suffering of the deceived individual in his privacy. This world, in Rumi's view, is itself a "flattering old hag" (gandeh-pir-e chaploos) who presents herself as a young bride to deceive. This is the true meaning of "ghuroor" (pride), which in contemporary Persian denotes arrogance, but in Rumi's perspective and classical texts, signifies being "fooled" or "deceived."

Therefore, this couplet serves as a warning from Rumi to all of us: not to be deceived by the world's enticing facade. When we find ourselves alone with the world and the "candle of truth" is extinguished, we may well confront a "coarse kong" that, from afar, appeared to be a beautiful bride. This world is full of "barik-risī" (delicate weaving of fantasies) that we spin for ourselves, and we must be wary of it.

Key takeaways

• The world's appearances are deceptive; its reality is often crude and unpleasant.
• Being fooled (ghuroor) results from ignoring the true nature of things.
• Outward celebrations can conceal hidden torments and suffering.
• Naive and unperceptive individuals are most vulnerable to the world's false allure.
• The candle of truth must remain lit to expose hidden deceptions.