In Attar's Mokhtar Nameh, particularly in the quatrains personifying the rose, there is a recurring play on the Persian word 'barg' (برگ). While 'barg' translates literally to 'leaf' or 'petal', metaphorically it means 'provisions', 'wealth', or 'means of survival'.

Attar frequently contrasts 'sad-barg' (hundred-petaled, referring to the dense petals of a full rose) with 'bi-barg' (destitute or without provisions). In this motif, the rose complains that despite possessing a 'hundred petals' (abundant beauty and vitality), it has been left 'destitute' (بی برگ) to face its imminent death and scattering. This wordplay, an example of the literary device Iham or Tanasub, highlights the overarching Sufi theme of worldly impermanence, demonstrating that physical abundance offers no protection against mortality.