The Need for Beauty: The Ascent of Love
Selected passages from Mevlânâ Celaleddin Rûmî’s Divan-ı Kebir delve deeply into how love and beauty transform the human soul. Beauty is more than just an external attribute; it’s a reflection of a divine manifestation that draws the individual away from their ego towards universal love. The poet’s lines beginning with the expression 'Hodâvend-i hodâvendân-ı esrar' emphasize that beauty is the master of secrets and the lord of lords, demonstrating that it’s a divine power beyond human reason.
Living with the Fire of Love: The Quest for Abihayat
In Mevlânâ’s understanding of love, the balance between fire and water holds an important place. While the fire of love can be inflammable and destructive, it also possesses the potential to gush forth abihayat, the water of life. This paradox expresses that the bitterness and sweetness of love coexist; for true love sometimes brings sacrifice and suffering with it. The poet’s question, 'Does the beloved’s water or fire spring from the fire of my love?', points to the destructive and constructive power of love alike; because true love purifies a person from their ego and rebirths them.
The Deceits of the Ego and Passion for Truth
Mevlânâ advises being vigilant against the deceptions of the ego. The expression 'You were seeing Yusuf’s face like a wolf,' shows how envy and jealousy can distort human perception; because true beauty is an inner light that goes beyond external appearances. The poet recommends cleansing oneself from the seeds of 'envy (garez)' which are food for the ego, and striving to become an angel; this means overcoming selfishness and ego in order to turn towards truth. To be able to see the truth, one must keep their intellect sound; an intellect that doesn’t even know the pleasure of intoxication cannot understand true meaning.