M6:4002 — این بود آن لحظه کو خشنود شد / من چه گویم چونک خشم‌آلود شد

Translation: This was that moment when (Love) was content; what shall I say when it becomes wrathful? Meaning: This verse points to the ruthless and formidable power of Love, even in its seemingly contented state; imagine then its true terror when wrathful.

This couplet is one of Mevlana's profound utterances that vividly portrays the ruthlessness and severe demands of Love, even in its most serene manifestations. Preceding this verse, Mevlana describes Love as “wrathful, with its bow strung,” an arrow readied for launch. This imagery underscores Love's bloodthirsty and merciless nature, one that tolerates not an iota of self-will and readily sacrifices life.

What Mevlana articulates here transcends a mere description; he presents us with a paradoxical situation. He asks: “This was that moment when it became content,” implying that all this recklessness, this buying of a hundred thousand heads for a trifle, occurs precisely when Love is at the peak of its satisfaction and contentment. If this contented and pleased Love is so “recklessly slaughtering” and fearless, then “what shall I say when it becomes wrathful?” What image, then, can I possibly offer of Love in its angry, furious state? This is a rhetorical question that magnifies the terrifying depth and absolute power of Love.

I have often stated that Love, in Mevlana's view, is lā-ubālī – careless, reckless, and utterly unconcerned. It regards no status or rank; it recognizes neither king, nor shaykh, nor vizier. Its task is to empty, to break, and to annihilate the “self” so that it may fill the seeker with nothing but itself. Shams did this to Mevlana. Love is khooni (bloodthirsty), murderous, and merciless, so that “whoever is an outsider may flee”; so that those who are not truly of its path may retreat from the very beginning and not weary themselves.

Thus, this couplet is not merely about Love's contentment, but a cry revealing its fundamental, awe-inspiring essence. It is a Love that, even in its satisfaction, bears the countenance of demanding sacrifice and ruthlessness, ever ready to offer life and head. This is the very Love under whose sword Hafiz deemed it auspicious to dance: “One must go dancing beneath the sword of its grief, for whoever is slain by it meets a good end.” This echoes Mevlana's own words: “To be slain is better than a thousand lives.” May our souls be sacrificed to this Love and to the sword that slays us in its path.

Key takeaways

• Love, even in its state of contentment, reveals a ruthless and demanding aspect.
• This verse points to Love's paradoxical nature: outwardly serene, yet inwardly reckless and 'bloodthirsty'.
• Mevlana describes Love as lā-ubālī, meaning it is unconcerned with human status or rank.
• Love's role is to empty the 'self' and shatter ego, preparing the seeker for divine grace.
• The 'bloodthirsty' aspect of Love acts as a sieve, ensuring only true seekers remain on the path.