M6:4170 — آنچنان پایی که از رفتار او / جان نپیوندد به نرگس زار او

Translation: That foot, whose movement does not unite the soul with His narcissus-garden, Meaning: Rumi declares that any foot which fails to guide the soul toward the beauty and union of the Beloved is a futile limb and, ultimately, a source of torment.

This verse is one of those incisive and definitive teachings that emanate from Rumi's restless lover, a lover no longer bound by any constraint or worldly prudence. In this passage from the Mathnawi, Rumi, through the voice of a passionate lover, rebukes his admonishers, declaring, “My patience died the night love was born.” He is no longer one to compromise, no longer one to ‘beat the drum under a cloak’ (speak timidly). He has hoisted the flag of his love in the wilderness, proclaiming, “Either my head falls, or I see the Beloved’s face.” This is a state where every limb and faculty of the lover must serve a single purpose: union with the Beloved.

I have previously discussed Rumi’s perspective on the function of bodily organs. He poses the question: Why does one desire a soul? Why eyes? Why ears? Is it to hear nonsense or to gaze upon forbidden sights? No! All these organs, if not in service of the ultimate goal—that is, reaching the Beloved—are worthless and even detrimental. This echoes the words found in the supplications of Ibn ‘Ata Allah al-Iskandari, who states, “Blind is the eye that does not behold You as its guardian.” Rumi follows the same logic. He proclaims:

The throat unworthy of that wine (of love) / is better severed by sword and blade. The eye not gladdened by His reunion / that eye is better stark white and blind. The ear unworthy of His secret / pluck it out, for it sits ill upon the head. The hand without its share (of love’s bounty) / is better broken by the butcher’s cleaver.

Our current verse, “That foot, whose movement does not unite the soul with His narcissus-garden,” is in the same vein. The foot's function is movement, to walk. But what good is this movement if it fails to bring the human soul into connection with the Beloved’s narges-zār (narcissus-garden)? Here, narges-zār is a metaphor for the Beloved's beauty and captivating charm—the place where the soul must ultimately dwell and unite. A foot that, despite all its motion and effort, does not join the soul to this garden of beauty, is an idle and useless foot. Such a foot, as Rumi states in the subsequent verse, “is better in chains.” Why? Because “such a foot is ultimately a headache.” This foot, which does not step on the path of union with the Beloved, ultimately brings nothing but suffering and trouble to its owner. This is a complete and radical commitment to love and the Beloved, in which no part of the body can function independently of the primary goal.

Key takeaways

• Every limb of the lover's body finds meaning only in serving the union with the Beloved; anything that deviates from this path is futile and a source of pain.
• Human action and movement must lead the soul towards the Beloved's beauty and presence; otherwise, that action is fruitless.
• The narges-zār (narcissus-garden) symbolizes the Beloved's captivating beauty, to which the lover's soul yearns to connect.
• This verse signifies the lover's uncompromising commitment to the Beloved, wherein no external consideration or constraint is accepted.
• A foot that does not tread this path not only lacks purpose but also becomes an impediment and a cause of suffering.