Man o to
MAN O TO
Rumi dedicated this poem to his soul mate Shams-i Tabrizi and expressed the adjoining two bodies become one. The size of their love is even beyond our understanding however we see the universality of Rumi in these verses. Perhaps Rumi wrote the most beautiful words to describe love. Isn’t Love becoming one? Two people, two bodies, two souls becoming one – two forms, two faces, yet one soul together..
Isn’t Love a sort of different feelings from pleasure to interpersonal devotion? Does not Love represent a state of a strong attraction? Does not Love consist of those three; intimacy, commitment, and passion? Cannot Love be viewed as a biological condition or a merit in relation with tenderness? Isn’t Love the base of altruism? Or vice versa, isn’t altruism ground of Love? Does Love mean being selflessness with a deep appreciation? Isn’t love an international language regardless of linguistic and cultural discrimination as well? Isn’t Love the greatest emotion of all?
A poem by Rumi.
Persian; khonak an dam keh neshastim dar eyvan, man o to beh do naqsh, o beh do surat, beh yeki jan, man o to rang-e-bagh o dam-e-morghan bedahad ab-e-hayyat an zamani keh dar ayyim bebostan man o to akhteran-e-falak ayand beh nazzareh-ye ma mah-e-khod ra benemayyim beh ishan man o to man o to, bi man o to, jam’ shavim az sar-e-zowq khosh o faregh ze khorafat-e-parishan man o to tutiyan-e-falaki jomleh jegarkhor shavand dar maqami keh bekhandim bar an san man o to in ‘ajabtar keh man o to beh yeki konj inja ham dar in dam beh ‘eraqim o khorasan man o to – Jalaluddin Rumi
English;
Sitting here, you and I, the courtyard breeze is cool Two images, two forms, one thought, you and I The orchard-shades, the songs of birds give up the world’s secrets When we find ourselves here in this garden The stars of distant galaxies come to gaze on us You and I, together, we show them the moon You and I, without ‘you’ and ‘I’, we are absolute joy Happy, free from empty words, such are you and I All those birds of paradise, full of childish envy While in that same place, you and I, we cannot help but laugh What’s truly strange is you and I, here together, now At once here in the west and at once here in the east such we always were You and I