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Masnavi Manavi #3
The Masnavi: Book Three
Rumi is the greatest mystic poet to have written in Persian, and the Masnavi is his masterpiece. Divided into six books and consisting of some 26,000 verses, the poem was designed to convey a message of divine love and unity to the disciples of Rumi's Sufi order, known today as the Whirling Dervishes. Like the earlier books, Book Three interweaves amusing stories with homilies to instruct pupils in the understanding of God's meaning. It has a special focus on epistemology, illustrated with narratives that involve the consumption of food.
The first ever verse translation of Book Three of the Masnavi, It follows the original by presenting Rumi's most mature mystical teachings in simple and attractive rhyming couplets.
'Our soul each moment struggles hard with death -
Think of your faith as though it's your last breath.
Your life is like a purse, and night and day
Are counters of gold coins you've put away'
The first ever verse translation of Book Three of the Masnavi, It follows the original by presenting Rumi's most mature mystical teachings in simple and attractive rhyming couplets.
'Our soul each moment struggles hard with death -
Think of your faith as though it's your last breath.
Your life is like a purse, and night and day
Are counters of gold coins you've put away'
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 1270
27 people are currently reading
837 people want to read
About the author
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi
1,170 books15.7k followersSufism inspired writings of Persian poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi; these writings express the longing of the soul for union with the divine.
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī - also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ/Mawlānā (مولانا, "our master"), Mevlevî/Mawlawī (مولوی, "my master") and more popularly simply as Rumi - was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic who lived in Konya, a city of Ottoman Empire (Today's Turkey). His poems have been widely translated into many of the world's languages, and he has been described as the most popular poet and the best-selling poet in the United States.
His poetry has influenced Persian literature, but also Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Azerbaijani, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu, as well as the literature of some other Turkic, Iranian, and Indo-Aryan languages including Chagatai, Pashto, and Bengali.
Due to quarrels between different dynasties in Khorāṣān, opposition to the Khwarizmid Shahs who were considered devious by his father, Bahā ud-Dīn Wālad or fear of the impending Mongol cataclysm, his father decided to migrate westwards, eventually settling in the Anatolian city Konya, where he lived most of his life, composed one of the crowning glories of Persian literature, and profoundly affected the culture of the area.
When his father died, Rumi, aged 25, inherited his position as the head of an Islamic school. One of Baha' ud-Din's students, Sayyed Burhan ud-Din Muhaqqiq Termazi, continued to train Rumi in the Shariah as well as the Tariqa, especially that of Rumi's father. For nine years, Rumi practised Sufism as a disciple of Burhan ud-Din until the latter died in 1240 or 1241. Rumi's public life then began: he became an Islamic Jurist, issuing fatwas and giving sermons in the mosques of Konya. He also served as a Molvi (Islamic teacher) and taught his adherents in the madrassa. During this period, Rumi also travelled to Damascus and is said to have spent four years there.
It was his meeting with the dervish Shams-e Tabrizi on 15 November 1244 that completely changed his life. From an accomplished teacher and jurist, Rumi was transformed into an ascetic.
On the night of 5 December 1248, as Rumi and Shams were talking, Shams was called to the back door. He went out, never to be seen again. Rumi's love for, and his bereavement at the death of, Shams found their expression in an outpouring of lyric poems, Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi. He himself went out searching for Shams and journeyed again to Damascus.
Rumi found another companion in Salaḥ ud-Din-e Zarkub, a goldsmith. After Salah ud-Din's death, Rumi's scribe and favourite student, Hussam-e Chalabi, assumed the role of Rumi's companion. Hussam implored Rumi to write more. Rumi spent the next 12 years of his life in Anatolia dictating the six volumes of this masterwork, the Masnavi, to Hussam.
In December 1273, Rumi fell ill and died on the 17th of December in Konya.
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī - also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, Mevlânâ/Mawlānā (مولانا, "our master"), Mevlevî/Mawlawī (مولوی, "my master") and more popularly simply as Rumi - was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic who lived in Konya, a city of Ottoman Empire (Today's Turkey). His poems have been widely translated into many of the world's languages, and he has been described as the most popular poet and the best-selling poet in the United States.
His poetry has influenced Persian literature, but also Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, Azerbaijani, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu, as well as the literature of some other Turkic, Iranian, and Indo-Aryan languages including Chagatai, Pashto, and Bengali.
Due to quarrels between different dynasties in Khorāṣān, opposition to the Khwarizmid Shahs who were considered devious by his father, Bahā ud-Dīn Wālad or fear of the impending Mongol cataclysm, his father decided to migrate westwards, eventually settling in the Anatolian city Konya, where he lived most of his life, composed one of the crowning glories of Persian literature, and profoundly affected the culture of the area.
When his father died, Rumi, aged 25, inherited his position as the head of an Islamic school. One of Baha' ud-Din's students, Sayyed Burhan ud-Din Muhaqqiq Termazi, continued to train Rumi in the Shariah as well as the Tariqa, especially that of Rumi's father. For nine years, Rumi practised Sufism as a disciple of Burhan ud-Din until the latter died in 1240 or 1241. Rumi's public life then began: he became an Islamic Jurist, issuing fatwas and giving sermons in the mosques of Konya. He also served as a Molvi (Islamic teacher) and taught his adherents in the madrassa. During this period, Rumi also travelled to Damascus and is said to have spent four years there.
It was his meeting with the dervish Shams-e Tabrizi on 15 November 1244 that completely changed his life. From an accomplished teacher and jurist, Rumi was transformed into an ascetic.
On the night of 5 December 1248, as Rumi and Shams were talking, Shams was called to the back door. He went out, never to be seen again. Rumi's love for, and his bereavement at the death of, Shams found their expression in an outpouring of lyric poems, Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi. He himself went out searching for Shams and journeyed again to Damascus.
Rumi found another companion in Salaḥ ud-Din-e Zarkub, a goldsmith. After Salah ud-Din's death, Rumi's scribe and favourite student, Hussam-e Chalabi, assumed the role of Rumi's companion. Hussam implored Rumi to write more. Rumi spent the next 12 years of his life in Anatolia dictating the six volumes of this masterwork, the Masnavi, to Hussam.
In December 1273, Rumi fell ill and died on the 17th of December in Konya.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 19, 2013
The Greatest poem of any language, over 14,000 lines filled with the Sufi love of God, faith, beauty, teaching stories, and love and love and love. Called the Persian Koran, his only rivals for fame and complexity are Homer and Dante, with Shakespeare thrown in for the English language. I loved it, and have been re-reading it lately. The six volumes of the Mathnawi are Nicholson's greatest achievement in translation also, one for which he will be most remembered.
June 22, 2014
The Mathnawi, Just wonderful :o).
And great work by Jawid Mojaddedi, I'm liking the rhyming couplets very much. And now I eagerly wait for book four.
And great work by Jawid Mojaddedi, I'm liking the rhyming couplets very much. And now I eagerly wait for book four.
July 8, 2024
Book 3 of Rumi's Masnavi takes a fascinating turn, focusing on the nature of knowledge and perception in the pursuit of divine truth. Unlike the previous books that emphasized the yearning for the divine, Book 3 delves into the nature of knowledge itself. Rumi uses metaphors, often involving food and consumption, to explore how we perceive and understand the world around us. He challenges readers to question their assumptions and seek a deeper, more intuitive understanding of reality.
Rumi acknowledges the limitations of reason and logic in attaining ultimate knowledge of the divine. He suggests that a more holistic approach, encompassing both the intellect and the heart, is necessary for true spiritual comprehension. Love, as a unifying force, emerges as a central theme in Book 3. Rumi illustrates how love can transcend the limitations of reason and lead to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.
The shift in focus from the yearning for the divine to the nature of knowledge might surprise readers accustomed to the themes of the first two books. Rumi's use of food metaphors and other symbolic narratives can be enigmatic. Consulting commentaries or scholarly interpretations can help unlock their deeper meanings. Book 3 encourages readers to question and explore their own understanding of the world. This introspective journey can be challenging but ultimately rewarding.
By approaching Book 3 with curiosity and a willingness to explore new perspectives, readers can gain valuable insights. Here are some tips:
Embrace the Shift: Recognize that Book 3 is part of a larger journey, where questioning and understanding knowledge pave the way for a deeper connection with the divine.
Seek Clarification: Don't hesitate to consult additional resources like commentaries or scholarly works to gain a clearer understanding of the symbolism and metaphors.
Engage in Active Reading: Read critically, pondering the questions Rumi raises about knowledge and perception. How do these ideas relate to your own experience?
Book 3 of the Masnavi is an intellectual and spiritual adventure. It challenges readers to move beyond established ways of knowing and embrace a more intuitive and interconnected understanding of the world. While its focus on epistemology might differ from the previous books, the ultimate purpose remains the same: guiding us towards a deeper connection with the divine.
Rumi acknowledges the limitations of reason and logic in attaining ultimate knowledge of the divine. He suggests that a more holistic approach, encompassing both the intellect and the heart, is necessary for true spiritual comprehension. Love, as a unifying force, emerges as a central theme in Book 3. Rumi illustrates how love can transcend the limitations of reason and lead to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.
The shift in focus from the yearning for the divine to the nature of knowledge might surprise readers accustomed to the themes of the first two books. Rumi's use of food metaphors and other symbolic narratives can be enigmatic. Consulting commentaries or scholarly interpretations can help unlock their deeper meanings. Book 3 encourages readers to question and explore their own understanding of the world. This introspective journey can be challenging but ultimately rewarding.
By approaching Book 3 with curiosity and a willingness to explore new perspectives, readers can gain valuable insights. Here are some tips:
Embrace the Shift: Recognize that Book 3 is part of a larger journey, where questioning and understanding knowledge pave the way for a deeper connection with the divine.
Seek Clarification: Don't hesitate to consult additional resources like commentaries or scholarly works to gain a clearer understanding of the symbolism and metaphors.
Engage in Active Reading: Read critically, pondering the questions Rumi raises about knowledge and perception. How do these ideas relate to your own experience?
Book 3 of the Masnavi is an intellectual and spiritual adventure. It challenges readers to move beyond established ways of knowing and embrace a more intuitive and interconnected understanding of the world. While its focus on epistemology might differ from the previous books, the ultimate purpose remains the same: guiding us towards a deeper connection with the divine.
January 23, 2021
Toplam 6 ciltlik Mesnevinin 3. Cildi. Bu tür felsefe kitapları okurken yaşadığı tarihi göz önüne almak gerekir diye düşünüyorum.
February 23, 2021
Mojadeddi's rhyming is starting to become wearisome. Sometimes it does obscure the translation. But sometimes it does hit the mark; and very eloquently so.
May 26, 2022
برم برای 4 امی :)
September 24, 2016
Dalam buku ketiga ini, Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi mengingatkan kita tentang hakikat ilmu sebenar yang merentasi akal rasional dan hawa nafsu yang menjadi titipan daripada Allah kepada auliya-Nya - memperjelaskan kesalahan dan kesilapan ahli zahir yang terperangkap dalam keangkuhan pengetahuan sehingga menyangka apa yang mereka miliki sudah cukup untuk mencapai realiti al-Haq dan menempelak kebenaran pada ilmu yang dimiliki oleh kekasih Allah.
Dari kisah fable mengenai pengembara kelaparan yang diberikan peringatan oleh seorang wali supaya tidak membunuh anak gajah hinggalah kisah yang lebih panjang seperti bagaimana Firaun cuba mengatasi ketentuan Allah yang diperlihatkan sedikit kepada para nujumnya dengan menggunakan kebijaksanaan rasional untuk menghalang bukan saja kelahiran Nabi Musa, bahkan pada peringkat persenyawaan lagi, Maulana menguak tirai ilmu zahir hingga kita menyedari realiti ilmu yang lebih luas dan dalam yang tidak dapat dicapai dengan usaha para hamba semata-mata.
Membaca Masnawi bagi jilid ketiga ini selepas disedarkan oleh Maulana terhadap realiti auliya' yang semakin kurang disedari ketika ini, menyedarkan kita terhadap kesilapan pegangan hidup yang lebih banyak bersifat materialistik atau zahir.
Dari kisah fable mengenai pengembara kelaparan yang diberikan peringatan oleh seorang wali supaya tidak membunuh anak gajah hinggalah kisah yang lebih panjang seperti bagaimana Firaun cuba mengatasi ketentuan Allah yang diperlihatkan sedikit kepada para nujumnya dengan menggunakan kebijaksanaan rasional untuk menghalang bukan saja kelahiran Nabi Musa, bahkan pada peringkat persenyawaan lagi, Maulana menguak tirai ilmu zahir hingga kita menyedari realiti ilmu yang lebih luas dan dalam yang tidak dapat dicapai dengan usaha para hamba semata-mata.
Membaca Masnawi bagi jilid ketiga ini selepas disedarkan oleh Maulana terhadap realiti auliya' yang semakin kurang disedari ketika ini, menyedarkan kita terhadap kesilapan pegangan hidup yang lebih banyak bersifat materialistik atau zahir.
March 31, 2018
Phenomenal work. This is my first reading of Maulana Rumi, and I feel like i missed so much so far. Looking forward to other 5 books.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews