M6:2456 — اشتر و گاو و قجی در پیش راه / یافتند اندر روش بندی گیاه

Translation: A camel, a cow, and a ram, on their way, Found a bundle of grass on the path. Meaning: Rumi paints a simple scene of three animals—a camel, a cow, and a ram—who discover a bundle of grass while traveling.

Mowlana, that surging sea of knowledge, places this seemingly simple verse within the flow of a larger narrative. This is his unique artistry, his 'story-within-a-story' technique, where a pearl of a tale is embedded within the oyster of a grander account to unveil deeper truths. Here, following anecdotes of empty boasts and unfounded claims (like the Jew who claimed to have ascended Mount Sinai with Moses, or the Christian who spoke of accompanying Jesus to the fourth heaven), Mowlana introduces this outwardly plain story to reveal a pivotal reality: how even logic and rational arguments can be crushed under the heel of unrestrained power. This is the unparalleled insight Mowlana demonstrates regarding the role of power in history; not in the manner of Foucault, but with comparable depth and profundity. He suggests that when power enters the arena and asserts itself, there is no longer any place for reason, logic, intellect, science, or philosophy; all must yield the field.

This tale of the camel, cow, and ram finding a bundle of grass on their path ('rawish' here signifying 'going' or 'path,' not modern 'method') serves as an allegory for this condition. The ram, who in subsequent verses acts as the representative of calculating reason, proposes that instead of dividing the grass amongst all and leaving everyone partially hungry, one individual (the oldest) should consume it entirely, so at least one is satiated. This logic, though instinctive and seemingly pragmatic, ultimately fades before the sheer might of the camel (which will be revealed in later verses). It is here that Mowlana also uncovers the hidden intentions of human beings. He laments that the ignoble people, the 'la'ām' of his time, would only put elders first in two situations: when food was hot, so the elder would taste it first, providing a warning to others if it burned; or on a crumbling bridge, so the elder would be the first casualty, ensuring the path was safe for others. This apparent 'service' and 'respect' was, in fact, a form of 'inverse reverence,' exploiting elders in times of danger.

Thus, this opening, unassuming verse serves as a window into Mowlana's profound inner contemplation on the complexities of power, logic, hidden human intentions, and how these forces play out in the arena of life. From this story, we learn the necessity of balancing forces, for without such equilibrium, a dominant power will sweep everything away, and indeed, burn it all.

Key takeaways

• The verse introduces Mowlana's 'story-within-a-story' technique, conveying profound truths through simple fables.
• It is an allegory illustrating how logic and reason become powerless in the face of unrestrained force.
• Mowlana subtly critiques the destructive role of unchecked power (be it political or social) in stifling rationality.
• Within this seemingly simple tale, a critique of hidden intentions and 'inverse reverence' in human interactions is present.
• The story sets up a narrative about the distribution of limited resources and the justification of decisions under scarcity.