In Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, the distinction between outward form (*surat*) and inner spiritual meaning (*ma'na*) is a foundational hermeneutical concept. In Book 2, Section 7, Rumi warns the listener against getting lost in the literal narrative or external appearance of a tale. He uses the metaphors of walnuts and raisins (*jowz o maviz*) to represent the transient physical body or outward form, urging the spiritual seeker to pass beyond these surface level details. Similarly, he likens the literal plot of a story to chaff (*kah*) and the hidden spiritual truth to the grain (*daneh*), instructing readers to 'separate the grain from the chaff' (*az kah joda kon daneh ra*). Through these metaphors, Rumi argues that attachment to the literal form of stories, religious rituals, or the physical world hinders intellectual and spiritual progression toward divine reality.

The Metaphor of Grain and Chaff, Walnut and Raisin (Form vs. Meaning) in the Masnavi

In the conclusion to the tale of the tree of immortality in Book 2 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, a wise sheikh reveals to the despairing seeker that the miraculous tree he sought is not a physical plant, but a metaphor for divine knowledge. The sheikh explains that the seeker failed because he pursued the literal 'form' and the mere 'name' of the tree, remaining entirely ignorant of its spiritual 'meaning.' Rumi uses this revelation to articulate a profound epistemological principle: a single divine reality can manifest under countless names, such as a tree, the sun, a cloud, or the sea. Fixating on superficial labels creates division, confusion, and fruitless searching. To illustrate this, the sheikh notes that one man can be simultaneously called a father, a son, or an enemy depending on the observer's perspective. Rumi concludes that seekers must look past limiting names to perceive the underlying attributes, which ultimately guide the soul toward the divine Essence, asserting that 'the disagreement of creatures arose from the name; when they went to the meaning, peace arose.'

The Illusion of Names and the Unity of Meaning in the Masnavi

In the *Masnavi*, Rumi uses the story of four men (a Persian, an Arab, a Turk, and a Greek) disputing over grapes to illustrate the conflict between superficial names (forms) and underlying reality (meaning).

### Key Themes of the Metaphor:
1. **Form vs. Meaning (Surah vs. Ma'na):** The four men fight because each knows the grape only by its name in his own language (*angoor*, *inab*, *uzum*, and *istafil*). They fail to realize that they all desire the exact same physical reality. This represents how people fight over theological and linguistic labels while seeking the same Divine Truth.
2. **The Role of the Spiritual Guide (The Master of Secrets):** Rumi notes that a 'man of secrets' (a spiritual guide or prophet) who knows 'a hundred languages' could easily resolve their conflict. This guide possesses universal wisdom and can translate sectarian differences into a unified understanding of the ultimate essence.
3. **Ignorance as the Root of Conflict:** The physical fight symboliz...

The Metaphor of the Dispute Over Grapes: Form vs. Meaning in the Masnavi

In the *Masnavi*, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi frequently employs the dichotomy of the **kernel** or **pulp** (*maghz*) and the **shell** or **peel** (*pust*) to illustrate the relationship between inner spiritual meaning (*ma'na*) and outer form (*surat*).

### The Core Metaphor
* **The Shell (*Pust*):** Represents external forms, ritualistic observance, literal interpretations of scripture, and superficial knowledge.
* **The Kernel (*Maghz*):** Represents spiritual realization, divine love, inner truth, and direct experience of the Divine.

### Application to Quranic Memorization
In Book Three (Section 52), Rumi explains why few of the Prophet's companions (*Sahaba*) were full memorizers (*hafiz*) of the literal words of the Quran. He asserts that as their inner being became filled with the 'kernel' of divine meaning, their attachment to the outer 'shell' of form decreased. Just as a ripening walnut or almond grows its kernel and sheds or thins its shell, the spiritually mature individ...

The Metaphor of Kernel and Shell in Rumi's Masnavi

In the Masnavi, the 'Language of State' (Zaban-e Hal) refers to the non-verbal communication of an entity's inner reality or condition, which conveys truth more profoundly than spoken words. In Book 2, Section 108, Rumi illustrates this concept using analogies such as the silent, expressive interaction between a candle and a moth, the existential meaning of pieces on a chessboard, and a grammarian's standard sentence structure ('Zayd struck Amr'). Through these examples, Rumi demonstrates that outward forms and grammatical rules are merely vessels for deeper meaning (Ma'ni). Learners are urged to 'take the wheat and reject the measure'—meaning one should perceive the spiritual state and extract the true essence directly, rather than being confined by literal expressions and surface-level forms.

The Concept of 'Language of State' (Zaban-e Hal) in the Masnavi

A central philosophical theme in Rumi's Masnavi is the dichotomy between outward form (Surat) and inner meaning (Ma'ni). In the tale of the hare's deceit, Rumi explicitly warns that words and names can act as traps ('لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست') that lead to a scarcity of true meaning ('قحط معنی'). This concept emphasizes that focusing solely on sweet words or superficial appearances is like sand soaking up the water of life. It serves as a prerequisite for understanding Rumi's subsequent assertions that physical forms are mere waves on the hidden ocean of the universal intellect (Aql).

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ساعتی تاخیر کرد اندر شدن 
بعد از آن شد پیش شیر پنجه‌زن
زان سبب کاندر شدن او ماند دیر 
خاک را می‌کند و می‌غرید شیر
گفت من گفتم که عهد آن خسان 
خام باشد خام و سست و نارسان
دمدمهٔ ایشان مرا از خر فکند 
چند بفریبد مرا این دهر چند
سخت در ماند امیر سست ریش 
چون نه پس بیند نه پیش از احمقیش
راه هموارست زیرش دامها 
قحط معنی درمیان نامها
لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست 
لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست
آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو 
سخت کم‌یابست رو آن را بجو
منبع حکمت شود حکمت‌طلب 
فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب
لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود 
عقل او از روح محظوظی شود
چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا 
بعد ازین شد عقل شاگردی ورا
عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا 
گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا
تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران 
حد من این بود ای سلطان جان
هر که ماند از کاهلی بی‌شکر و صبر 
او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر
هر که جبر آورد خود رنجور کرد 
تا همان رنجوریش در گور کرد
گفت پیغمبر که رنجوری بلاغ 
رنج آرد تا بمیرد چون چراغ
جبر چه بود بستن اشکسته را 
یا بپیوستن رگی بگسسته را
چون درین ره پای خود نشکسته‌ای 
بر کی می‌خندی چه پا را بسته‌ای
وانک پایش در ره کوشش شکست 
در رسید او را براق و بر نشست
حامل دین بود او محمول شد 
قابل فرمان بد او مقبول شد
تاکنون فرمان پذیرفتی ز شاه 
بعد ازین فرمان رساند بر سپاه
تاکنون اختر اثر کردی درو 
بعد ازین باشد امیر اختر او
گر ترا اشکال آید در نظر 
پس تو شک داری در انشق القمر
تازه کن ایمان نی از گفت زبان 
ای هوا را تازه کرده در نهان
تا هوا تازه‌ست ایمان تازه نیست 
کین هوا جز قفل آن دروازه نیست
کرده‌ای تاویل حرف بکر را 
خویش را تاویل کن نه ذکر را
بر هوا تاویل قرآن می‌کنی 
پست و کژ شد از تو معنی سنی

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## English translation
He delayed for a while before going; then he came before the claw-striking lion. Because he had been late in coming, the lion was tearing up the earth and roaring. He said: I said that the covenant of those base ones would be raw, raw, weak, and unfulfilled. Their cajolery unseated me; how long will this world deceive me, how long? The weak-rooted ruler is sorely confounded when, from his foolishness, he sees neither behind nor ahead. The road is smooth, but beneath it are traps; there is a famine of meaning among names. Words and names are like traps; sweet wording is sand that drains the water of our life. That one sand from which water wells up is exceedingly rare; go, seek it. The seeker of wisdom becomes a source of wisdom; he comes free of acquisition and secondary causes. His tablet of memory becomes a Preserved Tablet; his intellect receives a share from the Spirit. Since his intellect was the teacher at first, after this intellect becomes his pupil. Intellect, like Gabriel, says: O Ahmad, if I take one step farther, I will burn. Leave me behind; from here on go forward. This was my limit, O sultan of the soul. Whoever stays behind through laziness, without gratitude and patience, knows only how to seize the pretext of compulsion. Whoever invokes compulsion has made himself sick, until that very sickness puts him in the grave. The Prophet said that sickness is a warning: it brings suffering until one dies like a lamp. What is jabr? Setting what is broken, or rejoining a severed vein. Since your foot has not broken on this path, whom are you laughing at? Why have you bound up your foot? But the one whose foot broke on the path of striving: Buraq came to him, and he mounted. He had been a bearer of religion; he became borne. He had been receptive to command; he became accepted. Until now he received command from the King; after this he delivers command to the army. Until now the star exerted influence on him; after this he will be commander of the star. If this seems difficult to your sight, then you doubt the splitting of the moon. Renew your faith, not by speech of the tongue, O you who have secretly renewed desire. As long as desire is fresh, faith is not fresh, for this desire is nothing but the lock on that gate. You have interpreted the virgin word; interpret yourself, not the Reminder. You interpret the Qur'an according to desire; through you the exalted meaning has become low and crooked.

دفتر اول - بخش ۵۹ - قصهٔ مکر خرگوش / Book One - Section 59 - The Tale of the Hare's Deceit

Root URL: https://ganjoor.net/
Source URL: https://ganjoor.net/

This Reference node represents the source used by the Literature-to-1Cademy migration agent.

Ganjoor

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در شدن خرگوش بس تاخیر کرد 
مکر را با خویشتن تقریر کرد
در ره آمد بعد تاخیر دراز 
تا به گوش شیر گوید یک دو راز
تا چه عالمهاست در سودای عقل 
تا چه با پهناست این دریای عقل
صورت ما اندرین بحر عذاب 
می‌دود چون کاسه‌ها بر روی آب
تا نشد پر بر سر دریا چو طشت 
چونک پر شد طشت در وی غرق گشت
عقل پنهانست و ظاهر عالمی 
صورت ما موج یا از وی نمی
هر چه صورت می وسیلت سازدش 
زان وسیلت بحر دور اندازدش
تا نبیند دل دهندهٔ راز را 
تا نبیند تیر دورانداز را
اسپ خود را یاوه داند وز ستیز 
می‌دواند اسپ خود در راه تیز
اسپ خود را یاوه داند آن جواد 
و اسپ خود او را کشان کرده چو باد
در فغان و جست و جو آن خیره‌سر 
هر طرف پرسان و جویان در بدر
کانک دزدید اسپ ما را کو و کیست 
این که زیر ران تست ای خواجه چیست
آری این اسپست لیک این اسپ کو 
با خود آی ای شهسوار اسپ‌جو
جان ز پیدایی و نزدیکیست گم 
چون شکم پر آب و لب خشکی چو خم
کی ببینی سرخ و سبز و فور را 
تا نبینی پیش ازین سه نور را
لیک چون در رنگ گم شد هوش تو 
شد ز نور آن رنگها روپوش تو
چونک شب آن رنگها مستور بود 
پس بدیدی دید رنگ از نور بود
نیست دید رنگ بی‌نور برون 
همچنین رنگ خیال اندرون
این برون از آفتاب و از سها 
واندرون از عکس انوار علا
نور نور چشم خود نور دلست 
نور چشم از نور دلها حاصلست
باز نور نور دل نور خداست 
کو ز نور عقل و حس پاک و جداست
شب نبد نور و ندیدی رنگها 
پس به ضد نور پیدا شد ترا
دیدن نورست آنگه دید رنگ 
وین به ضد نور دانی بی‌درنگ
رنج و غم را حق پی آن آفرید 
تا بدین ضد خوش‌دلی آید پدید
پس نهانیها بضد پیدا شود 
چونک حق را نیست ضد پنهان بود
که نظر پر نور بود آنگه برنگ 
ضد به ضد پیدا بود چون روم و زنگ
پس به ضد نور دانستی تو نور 
ضد ضد را می‌نماید در صدور
نور حق را نیست ضدی در وجود 
تا به ضد او را توان پیدا نمود
لاجرم ابصار ما لا تدرکه 
و هو یدرک بین تو از موسی و که
صورت از معنی چو شیر از بیشه دان 
یا چو آواز و سخن ز اندیشه دان
این سخن و آواز از اندیشه خاست 
تو ندانی بحر اندیشه کجاست
لیک چون موج سخن دیدی لطیف 
بحر آن دانی که باشد هم شریف
چون ز دانش موج اندیشه بتاخت 
از سخن و آواز او صورت بساخت
از سخن صورت بزاد و باز مرد 
موج خود را باز اندر بحر برد
صورت از بی‌صورتی آمد برون 
باز شد که انا الیه راجعون
پس ترا هر لحظه مرگ و رجعتیست 
مصطفی فرمود دنیا ساعتیست
فکر ما تیریست از هو در هوا 
در هوا کی پاید آید تا خدا
هر نفس نو می‌شود دنیا و ما 
بی‌خبر از نو شدن اندر بقا
عمر همچون جوی نو نو می‌رسد 
مستمری می‌نماید در جسد
آن ز تیزی مستمر شکل آمده‌ست 
چون شرر کش تیز جنبانی بدست
شاخ آتش را بجنبانی بساز 
در نظر آتش نماید بس دراز
این درازی مدت از تیزی صنع 
می‌نماید سرعت‌انگیزی صنع
طالب این سِرّ اگر علامه‌ایست 
نک حسام‌الدین که سامی نامه‌ایست

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## English translation
The hare delayed greatly in going; he rehearsed the stratagem to himself. After the long delay he came along the road, to tell one or two secrets into the lion's ear. What worlds there are in the thought and passion of intellect; how broad is this sea of intellect. Our form runs in this sea of torment like bowls on the surface of water. Until it is filled, a basin floats atop the sea; when the basin is filled, it sinks in it. Intellect is hidden, and a world is manifest; our form is its wave, or a little moisture from it. Whatever the form makes into a means, by that means the sea throws it far away, so that the heart may not see the Giver of the secret, so that it may not see the far-shooting archer. He thinks his own horse is lost and, from obstinacy, drives his horse swiftly on the road. That noble rider thinks his horse is lost, while his own horse is carrying him like the wind. In lament and search, that bewildered one asks everywhere, door to door: 'Who has stolen our horse, and where and who is he?' 'What is this beneath your thigh, sir?' 'Yes, this is a horse, but where is that horse?' Come to yourself, O horseman seeking a horse. The soul is lost through its plainness and nearness, like a belly full of water and lips dry as a jar. How can you see red, green, and russet unless, before these three, you see light? But when your awareness is lost in color, those colors become your veil from the light. Since those colors were hidden at night, you then saw that seeing color comes from light. There is no seeing color without outward light; so too with the color of inward imagination. The outward is from the sun and Suha; the inward from the reflection of the highest lights. The light of the light of your eye is the light of the heart; the eye's light is obtained from the light of hearts. Again, the light of the light of the heart is God's light, which is pure and apart from the light of intellect and sense. At night there was no light, and you did not see the colors; so through its opposite, light became evident to you. Seeing light comes first, then seeing color; you know this at once by the opposite of light. God created pain and grief for this reason: so that through this opposite gladness of heart might appear. Thus hidden things appear through their opposites; since God has no opposite, He remains hidden. For sight was full of light, then looked to color; opposite is manifest through opposite, like Rum and Zang. Thus you knew light through the opposite of light; an opposite displays its opposite in appearances. God's light has no opposite in existence by which He could be made manifest through an opposite. Therefore 'our sights do not perceive Him, and He perceives'; understand this from Moses and the mountain. Know form as coming from meaning as a lion from the forest, or as voice and speech from thought. This speech and voice arose from thought; you do not know where the sea of thought is. But when you saw the subtle wave of speech, you know that its sea too is noble. When the wave of thought surged from knowledge, it made form from speech and voice. Form was born from speech and died again; the wave carried itself back into the sea. Form came out of formlessness and returned, saying, 'Indeed, to Him we return.' Thus at every moment you have a death and a return; Mustafa said, 'The world is an hour.' Our thought is an arrow from Hu into the air; how can it remain in the air? It comes back to God. Every breath the world and we are renewed, unaware of renewal within continuance. Life, like a stream, arrives ever new; it appears continuous in the body. From speed it has taken on a continuous shape, like a spark that you move swiftly in your hand. If you skillfully wave a firebrand, to sight the fire appears very long. This length of duration appears from the swiftness of making; it shows the speed-arousing power of making. If the seeker of this secret is a great scholar, behold Husam al-Din, who is a lofty book.

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