M6:71 — چون ز حرف و صوت و دم یکتا شود / آن همه بگذارد و دریا شود

Translation: When one becomes unified, freed from letter, sound, and breath, / One forsakes all those and becomes the sea itself. Meaning: This verse speaks to the mystical journey of transcending the outward forms of language and sound to merge with the boundless ocean of truth, becoming that very sea of meaning.

Upon encountering this verse, we witness Rumi transcending an earlier metaphor. Previously, in this very Sixth Book, he had stated: “Should you thirst for the ocean of meaning, / Take a stroll on the island of Masnavi.” There, he conceived of the Masnavi as an island nestled within the boundless ocean of meaning, a refuge for the thirsty to wander and find solace. Yet, in this beyt, he takes a bolder stride, making a profounder claim. He declares that if one traverses beyond the confines of “letter, sound, and breath” and apprehends the inner reality, then the Masnavi is no longer merely an “island”; it becomes the “sea” itself.

These “letter, sound, and breath” are, in essence, the veils and superficial coverings that obscure true meaning. Much like the chaff and debris that blanket the pure water of a stream, these linguistic and auditory forms can obstruct the vision of reality. However, when this chaff and debris are swept aside by a gust of wind, the uniform, clear water of meaning becomes manifest, revealing fresh coral branches and fruits born of the soul's water. This is Rumi's allegory for the passage from outward form (lafẓ) to inner meaning (maʿnā). It is an affirmation of the profound insight that the formed world (bā-ṣūrat) emerges from the formless (bī-ṣūrat), and one must always move beyond form to attain the formless truth.

The phrase “becomes unified” (yektā shavad) here denotes a concentration and unification of perception. When the seeker's mind withdraws all its attention from the form and strictures of language, focusing solely on the essence of meaning, then these veils are lifted. This is precisely the point Rumi made in the First Book: “I will shatter letter, word, and sound / so that without these three, I may converse with you.” He wished to be free from the bondage of words to speak directly with the Beloved. This verse, too, is that very invitation; an invitation to relinquish intermediaries and embrace direct apprehension, an invitation to formlessness and silence.

The deeper meaning is that at the zenith of this journey, the seeker not only reaches the sea but becomes the sea. This is one of the most recondite points of mystical gnosis (ʿirfān), where the knower, the known, and knowledge itself merge into one. When a human being is liberated from the formal existence of the self, from an identity constrained and confined within the realm of “letter, sound, and breath,” then one joins the boundless expanse of truth. One is no longer merely a part of the sea but is the sea itself. This signifies the transcendence of individual boundaries into existential unity, a complete effacement within the ocean of absolute being.

Key takeaways

• The seeker's journey progresses from the 'island of Masnavi' to the 'sea of Masnavi,' transitioning from mediation to direct truth.
• Letters, sounds, and breath are superficial veils that prevent the apprehension of inner meaning.
• The goal is to transcend form to reach the formless reality, like clearing debris to reveal pure water.
• 'Becoming unified' signifies a concentrated and unified perception, leading to liberation from linguistic constraints.
• At the apex of this journey, the seeker not only reaches the sea but becomes it, achieving existential unity.