In Poem 101 of Chapter 47 of Attar's Mokhtar Nameh, the poet employs the metaphor of the candle to illustrate the absolute dependence of the lover's existence on their active devotion.

The 'Arisen Heart' (برخاسته دل)

The lover describes themselves as a candle with an 'arisen heart' (برخاسته دل). This term carries a dual meaning:

1. Physical posture: Like a lit candle, the lover stands upright ('arisen'), actively burning with love.
2. Emotional detachment: It denotes a heart that has detached itself from all worldly concerns, fully committed to the beloved.

The Dual Wordplay on 'Neshandan' (نشاندن)

The poem features a brilliant wordplay on the verb neshandan (to sit down, stop, or extinguish):

• The beloved warns they will stop (neshandan) the lover from running after the impossible goal of union.
• The lover responds that as a candle, to be 'seated' or 'extinguished' (neshandan) means immediate death (bemiram dar hal).

Inseparable Devotion

This metaph...