M6:243 — ملک و مال و اطلس این مرحله / هست بر جان سبک‌رو سلسله

Translation: Dominion and wealth and the satin of this realm / Are a chain upon the light-moving soul. Meaning: This verse asserts that attachment to worldly possessions and power, such as dominion, wealth, and luxurious garments, acts as a fetter upon the soul that seeks lightness and spiritual flight.

This verse, in essence, articulates one of Mowlana's most crucial psychological insights into the human condition: that humanity, consciously or unconsciously, flees the burden of its own free will and responsibility. As he states elsewhere: “The entire world, from its own choice and being, / Flees into its own state of intoxication.” This flight is not born of awareness and freedom, but rather from an inherent, almost compulsive necessity; a compulsion stemming from the fear of responsibility. Mowlana illustrates this escape in two primary forms: masti (intoxication or self-forgetfulness) and shoghl (preoccupation with worldly affairs). The mulk (dominion), māl (wealth), and atlas (silk/finery) of this realm are precisely these worldly occupations and attachments that prevent the soul from achieving lightness.

I firmly believe that Mowlana's assertion that "this existence is a trap" (hastī fakh ast) — his depiction of existence as a snare — is rooted in humanity's fundamental anxieties. These anxieties include death, loneliness, meaninglessness, and crucially, the anxiety of freedom and responsibility. These are the existential concerns with which humans are born and which accompany them throughout life. It is to escape the pressure of these anxieties that people turn to intoxication and heedlessness, or immerse themselves in worldly pursuits. Their illusion is that by ignoring the prison, they will be free from it, or by losing themselves in work, they will lighten the burden of their responsibility. Yet, Mowlana calls these shoghl (occupations) essentially bīkārī (idleness). As he says: "Work is for him who became God's disciple, / Who cut off from every work for God's work... His soul is drowned to the throat in idleness." These external preoccupations are merely a cover for the internal idleness from the true work of self-realization.

Conversely, Mowlana calls us to sabuk-rūhī (light-souledness) and sabuk-bālī (lightness of wing). He, who was himself "sea-like" and "light-souled," composed the Mathnawi not to increase sorrow, but to inspire fervor and flight. The jān-i sabuk-row (light-moving soul) mentioned in this verse is that awakened soul which has been freed from attachments and is ready to soar in the realm of meaning. Dominion, wealth, and finery, which symbolize power, riches, and the alluring beauties of this world, act as chains and fetters for such a soul, for they deprive it of its freedom and choice, keeping it entangled in self-concern. This chain is not imposed by God, but by humanity itself, through its attachment to these material manifestations.

Mowlana, however, offers a remedy superior to escape, intoxication, or preoccupation: a path that lies in qanā'at (contentment) and sāde-zīstī (simple living). This means reducing one's options and desires, thereby diminishing the burden of responsibility and the anxiety that accompanies freedom. This stands in contrast to what many contemporary psychologists advocate—namely, increasing one's power. Mowlana advises us to reduce our power to become light-souled. Ultimately, this verse serves as an invitation to free ourselves from the self-imposed chains of the world and to move towards true sabuk-rūhī and that genuine freedom found in liberation from the ego and worldly attachments.

Key takeaways

• Humanity flees the anxiety of responsibility and freedom by resorting to intoxication, heedlessness, or worldly preoccupations.
• Dominion, wealth, and luxury are prime examples of preoccupations that deter individuals from inner spiritual work.
• Mowlana defines true 'work' as severing ties with the world to become God's devotee; all else is 'idleness.'
• The 'light-moving soul' is one freed from worldly attachments, ready for flight into the realm of meaning.
• The 'chains' of dominion and wealth on the light-moving soul are self-imposed, symbolizing attachment to the material world.
• The path to liberation lies in contentment and simple living, which lighten the burden of responsibility by reducing desires.