M6:514 — هر خری کز کاروان تنها رود / بر وی آن راه از تعب صدتو شود

Translation: Any donkey that walks alone from the caravan, For it, that path becomes a hundredfold difficult from hardship.

Meaning: Mowlana asserts that any journey, especially the spiritual one, becomes vastly more arduous and tedious for the solitary traveler compared to one who moves with companions.

This couplet, to my mind, is one of Mowlana's most potent affirmations of the crucial role of community and companionship on the spiritual path. I find it profoundly significant. Mowlana here definitively argues that, contrary to some doctrines which praise ascetic solitude, the true path of love and gnosis unfolds in fellowship and communal presence. He employs a seemingly simple yet profoundly insightful analogy, drawing upon the 'donkey' (خر). A creature often depicted as 'coarse' (غلیظی) and possessing 'little discernment,' yet even it finds joy and strength when moving within its herd.

Mowlana's point, as I read it, is this: if a being of such perceived limited understanding and refinement derives vitality from companionship, and its path becomes a hundredfold smoother, how can the human seeker possibly be exempt from this rule? He states unequivocally: "Any donkey that walks alone from the caravan, / For it, that path becomes a hundredfold difficult from hardship." This 'hundredfold difficulty' (صدتو شدن راه) is not merely a matter of increased physical distance; it signifies an intensification of 'toil' (تعب), arduousness, and slowness of movement. The solitary traveler, Mowlana implies, will constantly endure prodding and weariness, moving with sloth and malaise, whereas in a group, the journey becomes vibrant and joyful, with companions spurring each other onward. Resolve does not waver, and a multiplied motivation emerges.

Mowlana's message here is a deeply ethical and mystical counsel: "That donkey tells you, listen well, / If you are not a donkey, do not go alone like me." With his characteristic wit, he implies: if you consider yourself an intelligent human, not 'coarse' like a donkey, why then do you choose the solitary path like one? You are certainly no less than a donkey in this regard! This is an explicit invitation for the seeker to recognize that whatever benefit one gains in solitude, a hundredfold of it will be acquired within a vibrant, like-minded, and supportive community. Even prophets, to gather companions, performed miracles—not to merely prove their veracity, but to subdue enemies and to bring hearts into alliance, so that the caravan of guidance would not remain solitary. This powerfully suggests that, on this path, seeking community is essential, even for the most elevated human beings.

Key takeaways

• The spiritual journey undertaken in solitude is a hundredfold more arduous and tedious.
• Joy, strength, and progress on the mystical path are found in companionship and community.
• Mowlana, contrasting with ascetic reclusion, emphasizes walking alongside other seekers.
• Even seemingly simple creatures find greater vitality and speed in a group.
• Choosing solitude on this path is a neglect of wisdom that even a 'donkey' understands.