In the Masnavi, Rumi's metaphor of public adulation as a 'dragon' (Book Three, Section 23) serves as a critical counterpart to his broader allegory of the human ego (nafs) as a frozen dragon. While the inner dragon of the ego may lie dormant when an individual is deprived of worldly influence, the external 'dragon' of public worship acts as the ultimate catalyst for its awakening. The constant prostration and veneration of others provide the dangerous warmth that thaws latent arrogance, transforming an ordinary person into an inner Pharaoh. Rumi uses this synthesis to warn that spiritual seekers must shun societal adulation even more than material wealth, as the praise of others inevitably revives the soul's most tyrannical tendencies.