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KNOW ETERNAL RUMI
11/10/25 Times of India
The poet suggests that love and compassion should transcend religious boundaries, promoting a vision of inclusiveness that is particularly vital in today’s divided world, writes SUMIT PAUL

    Persian mystic and poet Jalaluddin Rumi needs no elaborate introduction as the very name is enough to evoke a deep sense of respect and reverence. He was born in Balkh in Northern Afghanistan and shuffled off this mortal coil in Konya (Turkey). However, his influence extends far beyond geographical boundaries and the realm of poetry. His teachings have had a profound impact on various aspects of contemporary culture, including music, literature, and spirituality. His timeless wisdom continues to resonate with people from all walks of life, crossing religious, cultural, and linguistic boundaries. Rumi’s popularity in the west has surged in recent decades, with his works translated into multiple languages. His profound messages of love, unity, and self-discovery have made him one of the most widely read and revered poets in the world. His writings serve as a bridge between different faiths and cultures, emphasising the universal message of love and the pursuit of enlightenment. Rumi’s words invite readers to embark on a transformative journey, where love and divine union are ultimate destinations. Many of his sublime thoughts transport us to the realms of love, beauty, enlightenment and introspection. For example, The Essential Rumi, chapter 12, includes: “A sufi’s book is not composed of ink and the alphabet. A scholar loves, and lives on, the marks of a pen. A sufi loves footprints!”
    Rumi contrasts an intellectual approach to spirituality with an experiential path taken by the Sufis. While scholars rely on written knowledge, Sufis derive wisdom from lived experiences and traces left by those who walked the spiritual path before them. This reflects a belief in the transformative power of direct experience over mere study. This also shows the humility and absence of a burning desire to flaunt one’s name and fame. Rumi didn’t write his poetry while living in an ivory tower. His poetry was poetry of self-experiences. Rumi’s repertoire is based on the philosophy of self-effacement. We all have encumbered the earth, thanks to our wretched existence. In a brief life, man leaves no stone unturned, to leave a mark behind; a legacy for posterity. There’s always a burning desire in every individual to make his presence felt. While the desire to be remembered is innate in every individual, the wish to efface oneself from the big slate of the world is also there, albeit in very few individuals. Only the fully evolved and enlightened human beings don’t wish to be liabilities to earth and others.
    Despite differences in beliefs and practices, Rumi sees the underlying essence of spirituality that connects all faiths. He suggests that love and compassion should transcend religious boundaries, promoting a vision of inclusiveness that is particularly vital in today’s divided world. He uses roses as metaphors to explain that the Divine love is just like the sun emitting, light and energy to a branching rosebush that grows elegantly on many levels and within several worlds– all at once. Just as a rosebush branches out, so too knowledge, offering different perspectives and insights. It evokes the idea that spiritual understanding can flourish through embracing diversity and appreciating multiple paths.
    We need to imbibe the universal spirit of Rumi and assimilate it into the collective consciousness of humanity. We’ve been sparring over petty things and differences without realising the power of love. Rumi says gamble everything for love, if you’re a true human being. If not, leave this gathering, emphasising the transformative nature of love and necessity of commitment and courage in seeking true connection.
He advocates for risking everything in pursuit of love, suggesting that half-hearted attempts will yield shallow results. It serves as a reminder that authentic love requires boldness and sincerity. We all want this bold and intrepid love to connect with each other and unite in a single thread and a solitary breath, for your task is not to seek love, but merely to seek and find all barriers within yourself that you have built against it. So, let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love. For Rumi, glue of love is the strongest glue.

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Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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