M6:3731 — صورت مرد و زن و لعب و جماع / فایده‌ش بی‌هوشی وقت وقاع

Translation: The form of man and woman, their play and union, Its benefit is unconsciousness at the moment of their encounter. Meaning: This verse asserts that the ultimate purpose and outcome of the most physical of human actions is an immaterial, formless state of ecstasy and self-forgetfulness.

Here in the Masnavi, we encounter one of Mawlana’s most crucial insights: the story of bī-ṣūratī, or formlessness. This world of forms that we inhabit has its genesis in that eternal, formless realm. Mawlana provides countless examples to illuminate this truth, and this particular verse is one of them. Through it, he traces a path that begins with ṣūrat (form) and culminates in bī-ṣūrat (formlessness).

As I have explained elsewhere, in traditional thought, and indeed for Mawlana himself, the formless idea or spirit generally precedes the manifest form. Our thoughts and worldviews, in essence, construct the forms of our actions, creeds, and livelihoods. However, in this verse, and others preceding and following it, Mawlana also demonstrates the reverse trajectory: how a 'form' can lead to a 'formless' outcome. He posits that a man and woman engage in lovemaking and sexual union; this is a tangible, observable ṣūrat. But what is the true benefit and consequence of this act? It is 'unconsciousness at the moment of their encounter' (bī-hūshī waqt-e waqāʿ). This unconsciousness, this ecstasy, is a state devoid of outer form. It cannot be seen, heard, or smelled. It is a condition of the human soul, liberated from the constraints of material forms.

This understanding of form and formlessness stands in stark contrast to materialistic and naturalistic perspectives. Those who reduce everything to matter and natural laws are, in fact, trapped in the worship of a singular form. They forget that nature is merely one manifestation among countless forms that the formless existence can assume. Just as laughter can manifest in various forms—from human guffaws to the spring bloom—so too does formlessness embrace diverse forms. Mawlana warns us: 'Be not so drunk on these cups of forms / Lest you become an idol-carver and idol-worshipper.' If we become intoxicated by these cups of forms, we risk becoming idol-carvers, worshipping only the singular form and neglecting the formless origin and ultimate destination.

This 'unconsciousness' or 'ecstasy' of which Mawlana speaks is not mere oblivion or absolute nothingness. Rather, it is a state of transcendent perception and supra-sensory experience. In that moment of intoxication, the individual is liberated from the self constrained by the body, achieving an experience that cannot be contained within material forms. This is precisely where we step from the surface of the world of forms into the depths of the world of formlessness. Through these tangible examples, Mawlana seeks to guide us toward the truth that the origin and destination of all forms is formlessness: 'From formlessness did form emerge / And returned again, for 'To Him we shall return.''

Key takeaways

• Physical acts and forms, particularly sexual union, possess an immaterial, formless ultimate goal of ecstasy and self-forgetfulness.
• Mawlana illustrates the bidirectional movement between ṣūrat (material form) and bī-ṣūrat (immaterial essence): sometimes from thought to action, sometimes from action to ecstasy.
• The 'unconsciousness at the moment of union' (bī-hūshī waqt-e waqāʿ) signifies detachment from the body-bound self and access to a transcendent, supra-sensory state.
• This verse critiques materialistic perspectives that reduce existence solely to perceivable forms.
• All forms originate from the formless and return to it; the formless is the origin and destination of all being.