M1:216 — این جهان‌، کوه است و فعل ما ندا / سوی ما آید نداها را صدا»

Translation: This world is a mountain, and our deeds are the call / The echo of those calls returns to us. Meaning: This verse posits that our actions in the world are like calls echoed into a mountain; their reverberations and consequences will inevitably return to us, the doers.

Here, Mawlana alludes to a fundamental ontological and ethical law: the principle of reflected actions. He likens this world to a vast mountain, asserting that every call, every cry, every action cast into it, will return its echo to its perpetrator. This is, without doubt, an eloquent explanation of the principle of recompense for deeds; that is, the reward or punishment for any action will, in this very world, return to its doer. This is not merely a moral precept but an inescapable existential reality from which no one can flee. Every action we perform, whether good or ill, creates a ripple in the fabric of existence that, sooner or later, returns to its source, which is ourselves. This verse teaches us that the world is a perfect mirror, reflecting our deeds back to us, and whatever seed we sow, we shall, without any reduction, reap precisely that. In essence, this is a firm emphasis on humanity's full responsibility for its actions, clarifying that no act occurs in a vacuum. Every deed leaves its footprint on existence, and that footprint returns to us. This metaphor reveals the depth of Mawlana's perspective on the law of cause and effect in the realm of ethics and human action, representing a 'justice-oriented' view of existence, with the caveat that this divine justice operates through divine 'generosity' (karam), rather than mere calculus.

Key takeaways

• The world is a mirror of our deeds; every action has an echo that returns to the doer, and its recompense will be seen in this very world.
• The law of reflected actions is an inescapable existential reality, ensuring no deed is without consequence.
• Humans bear full responsibility for their actions, and each individual is the creator of their own destiny's echo.
• This verse serves as a profound call to reflect upon our choices and actions, and to understand our intimate connection with existence.