M6:374 — هم‌چو اسپاه مغل بر آسمان / تیر می‌انداز دفع نزع جان

Translation: Like the army of Mongols, towards the sky, You shoot arrows to repel the pangs of death. Meaning: This verse refers to a Mongol custom of shooting arrows skyward during a loved one's death throes, intending to ward off the angel of death, symbolizing humanity's futile struggle against the overwhelming power of destiny and divine wrath.

Here, in this verse, I discern a crucial point that Mawlana emphasizes repeatedly throughout the Masnavi: humanity's futile attempts to escape the clutches of destiny or an overwhelming divine will. Mawlana illustrates this with a vivid metaphor of the Mongol army. As historical accounts relate, when one of their kin lay dying, surrounded by relatives, they would, in their belief, shoot arrows skyward to frighten away the angel of death, hoping to save the ailing one.

For Mawlana, this anecdote is far more than a historical curiosity; it is a symbol of our unwitting and often pointless efforts to free ourselves from that which is held in another's sovereign hand. It mirrors Nimrod's perceived defiance, casting arrows towards God, or the unseen thief within our own souls, extinguishing the sparks of awakening. This verse follows Mawlana's earlier counsel: “When you know that He is overpowering you / And strikes the mace of sorrow upon your head / Then repel Him like Nimrod in battle / Draw your arrow of poplar-wood and shoot it into the air.” That is, if you believe you can repel divine wrath, then like Nimrod or the Mongol army, shoot arrows towards the sky.

Yet, the truth is, these efforts yield nothing. For humanity stands before an overwhelming will and an absolute power from which there is no escape. Mawlana states earlier, “You were in non-existence, you couldn't escape His grasp / How can you escape His grasp now, oh plaything?” Even before you came into being, you were in His hand, and now that you exist, how do you expect to flee His dominion, you who are molded like dough in His hands?

This verse also connects to Mawlana's profound discourse on ārezū (desire). Mawlana considers desire to be the “bait” of this world’s “trap.” When we desire to escape death or be freed from suffering, we are, in fact, setting another snare for ourselves. True liberation lies in the unconditional acceptance of destiny and surrender to that absolute will, not in futile arrow-shooting towards the sky. This is the lesson of surrender and release from false “selves” and inner strangers that prevent one from embracing truth. One who purifies himself from desires becomes light-footed and experiences a great opening.

Key takeaways

• Human attempts to escape divine wrath or predetermined fate, like the Mongols shooting arrows at the sky to ward off the angel of death, are futile.
• This verse symbolizes humanity's powerlessness before the absolute might of the divine, a power that encompasses us even before our existence.
• Mawlana likens the act of shooting arrows at the sky to Nimrod's failed attempt to fight God, both representing pride and ignorance.
• Understanding this impotence guides us towards surrender to divine will and liberation from vain desires.
• Freedom from 'desires,' which are the traps of this world, leads to inner lightness and profound spiritual opening.