Our Actions Are Melodies That Echo Back

This world is a mountain and our actions send forth melodies -- that echo right back to us with the melodies we sent forth! --Rumi, Masnavi
"Eeen jahan koohast o fe'le ma neda; sooye ma ayad nedaha ra seda"

Listen and Heed the Story of the Reed

On my birthday, I hear the faint sound of the reedflute murmuring:

(Masnavi Book 1; verses 1-6)

Listen and heed the Reed-flute’s narration

It’s longing for unison after separation,

Since ‘twas torn from the reedbed to play

A mystical melody day by day

It says: a heart I need that pounds upon hearing, swaying in longing

Feeling, oh feeling, the reed’s pain of craving

Whoever’s been cut from their source

Turns back to seek a way of recourse

Back , O back to the unity whither I came

I was brought into diversity, I have no blame

Commentary on the Lion on the Flag

I am going to comment on this in response to your request for commentary on this poem.

Yours is the melody; we are but the flute

Yours is the the echo; we are but the mountain,

Rumi points to the true Nature of Life, emanating from the Divine.

We think we are in fact instrumental; yet we are but the instrument

out of which comes the melody of the flute; the mountain that serves

to reflect a sound; the sound is truly something, the mountain is passive

and serves again only as an instrument to convey the divine.

In victory and in defeat we are but chess pieces

You of noble virtues, decide our victory or defeat

We often attribute success or failure; victory or defeat to ourselves.

And yet, Rumi, says, we are but pawns on a chess board. And it is

the Divine that decides our victory or defeat. Note that although this may

seem as supporting total pre-destination; other parts of Molana's poetry

indicates that he believed in a delicate combination of Freewill and pre-destination,

or Fate. It is action and reaction: we choose to engage in action, that may be Freewill

but that will have consequences, that is the result of the action, or Fate.

Alone, we are nothing; You are the Self within our self,

As long as we are with Thee, we exist

One of the key themes within Rumi's poetry if the "Self within the self";

"jaan-e jaan", the life within life. This is not figurative but signifies a distinct

experience of an indweller in the body, an inner soul within our soul, within our being

that we can experience. The ability to perceive reality includes witnessing and

experiencing this inner Self. Thus, as long as we hold that experience of the Self within us and nothing overshadows it, we truly are alive.

We are Nothingness; for the source of our Being

Emanates from you, the Absolute Being, mortal-like

We [think we] are Lions, but only Lion[-emblems] on a flag

it is the wind which makes us flutter and feign attack!

Manifest is their attack, yet the wind is hidden,

He who is Unmanifest -- may he never be lost!

Your blessing to us is our breath; our being

You made it all -- All of our Being!

Our breath, our Being is Your blessing;

Our entire Being is created by You!

You allowed Nothingness

to taste the sweetness of Being

and let it fall in love with You!

We are all lions-- but only on a flag

Book One -- Daftar e Avval -- 602 -- We are all lions-- but only on a flag!

Molana tends to erupt in expressions of Divine gratitude from time to time in the midst of this Couplets. I like to combine these in some cases and the resulting compilation is what I have grown to refer to as the Monajat Naam-e of Rumi: Expressions of Divine Gratitude.

Here is a very famous piece which I had the great pleasure and honor of co-translating with the great poet Dr. Maryam Daftari.

Yours is the melody; we are but the flute

Yours is the the echo; we are but the mountain,

In victory and in defeat we are but chess pieces

You of noble virtues, decide our victory or defeat

Alone, we are nothing; You are the Self within our self,

As long as we are with Thee, we exist

We are Nothingness; for the source of our Being

Emanates from you, the Absolute Being, mortal-like

We [think we] are Lions, but only Lion[-emblems] on a flag

it is the wind which makes us flutter and feign attack!

Manifest is their attack, yet the wind is hidden,

He who is Unmanifest -- may he never be lost!

Your blessing to us is our breath; our being

You made it all -- All of our Being!

Our breath, our Being is Your blessing;

Our entire Being is created by You!

You allowed Nothingness

to taste the sweetness of Being

and let it fall in love with You!

Ode 1047 - In this cold, I seek refuge in the sweet Lover

[Even] in this [bitter] rainy cold weather, the beloved is sweeter still; the lover is at my side and I’m in love .

This beauty is at my side and what a beauty! Gentle, kind, supple and fresh!

In this cold, I seek refuge in the Lover, to whom noone to compare has been born

In the snow we kiss those lips, who refreshes our heart

I can’t wait any longer, I am lost; they took me and brought me back again

When the thought of the beloved suddenly appears in the heart, we are blown away- [in awe we say] God is Greater!

Ode 1046 - My Sweet, Never shall I grow weary of you

My sweet, Never, shall I grow weary of you;

I grow weary, only when I don't see you.

I can see that is contentment in our being sad

how will the heartless grow weary of sadness?

What a bloodthirsty and cold one is this heart! that

of tears, my eyes have not grown weary

If you have had it with this world, come,

for noone has grown weary of my world!

As I witness your love inspired consent,

I grow weary of saying "no, nay and not!"

The master of my pains is the angel of resurrection of the worlds;

Coming half from the soul-breath and half from low and high pitches of sound!

When that sweet smell of soulwine hit my brain,

O inner Self, Of worldy power I grew weary

With every moment, as this madness grows,

[know that] those who don’t tire of "more and less" are misers

As soon as I saw the dice and cup, I become Him

And grew weary of the overturned cup

As the Thought of Shams came upon me and

filled with me with love, of my own existence I grew weary!

Ode 1045 : Don't make me wait any longer

Ode 1045 : Saghi be Quick! I can't Wait Any Longer

======================================

For the next round, give me from that other cup of wine

which will sooth my inner self forevermore

Seeing me like this, I swear,

you’ll believe that I just can’t wait anymore

If [you think ] I deserve a grain of your mercy,

don’t make me wait any longer

Set me free, set me free- free!

For I have badly fallen into that other trap

If you close the house door on me now;

I’ll climb to roof and try to get in

Don’t leave me at the mercy of thoughts;

Thoughts are all-consuming, bloodthirsty creatures

Saghi, if you don’t bring another round of raw wine;

These hundred raw ones will continue to annoy me

Even if I already have a loan to bear, quick!

take this mantle and I need another loan!