M6:630 — بگذر از مستی و مستی‌بخش باش / زین تلوّن نقل کن در استواش

Translation: Pass beyond mere intoxication and become the giver of intoxication; From this state of fluctuation, transition into steadfastness.

Meaning: Mawlana here urges the spiritual seeker to transcend individual ecstasy and attain a station where they become the source of intoxication for others, moving from volatile spiritual states to a stable and unwavering equilibrium.

This verse arrives amidst Mawlana's discourse on entering the 'living and self-sustaining world' (جهان حی و قیومی) and escaping the 'plague of hypocrisy and deprivation.' Before this, Mawlana explains that once your eye is freed from illness, and you move from 'not knowing' to 'knowing,' escaping skepticism and transforming ignorance into knowledge, and blindness into sight—this itself is a great achievement, but not the final abode. At this point, one experiences immense joy and delight, leading to what Mawlana calls 'intoxication, madness, and spiritual exuberance' (مستی، جنون و طرب). This is a significant step: one moves from heedlessness and deprivation to awakening and intoxication.

However, Mawlana calls us to the next step: 'Pass beyond mere intoxication and become the giver of intoxication.' This command is a liberating movement. The seeker must not stop at this personal intoxication but must transcend this stage. Instead of merely being intoxicated by the wine of ecstasy, one must become that wine itself; one must become the very spring that intoxicates others. This is not just a qualitative leap in spiritual journeying but a sign of generosity and breadth of spirit in a seeker approaching perfection. They are no longer merely a recipient but an active, giving participant.

Mawlana then adds: 'From this state of fluctuation, transition into steadfastness.' 'Talavvon' (تلون) signifies changing colors, shifting states, and oscillating between intoxication and sobriety. This state, even if it is one of intoxication, still represents instability. The higher and more exalted station is 'estevā' (استوا); meaning steadfastness, constancy, and equilibrium. Estevā means reaching a fixed and permanent state of spiritual intoxication, such that this condition is no longer temporary or fluctuating but becomes intrinsic to the seeker's very being. This implies reaching a point where, at all times and in all states, one is in the peak of rapture, joy, and connection, never falling from it. This 'estevā' is not stagnation but the apex of dynamism, resting within profound tranquility. Thus, the transition from 'talavvon' to 'estevā' is a passage from mutable and unstable states to a stable and essential quality in the realm of spiritual intoxication—an intoxication that can then be bestowed upon others.

Key takeaways

• Spiritual intoxication is a starting point, not the destination: one must evolve from passivity to activity, from receiving to giving.
• Perfection lies in transmitting and expanding divine grace: the true seeker is not merely a pleasure-taker but becomes a source of grace.
• Overcoming 'talavvon' (fluctuation of spiritual states) is crucial for attaining 'estevā' (steadfastness) in one's spiritual station.
• 'Estevā' signifies complete equilibrium and constancy in the perpetual intoxication of divine presence, not stagnation or dullness.
• This verse calls for an existential expansion, moving beyond personal experience to a state of positively influencing others.