Between The Lines!

Welcome to The "Quantum" Era!
Article Number Three
Chahar Morgh (The Four Birds)

In the Fifth Book of Masnavi, Rumi is discussing the inner being of the mankind. As he does
in most of his parables, he is using nature and animals to symbolize his message. In these
particular lines of poem, he is referring to "Four Birds" as the representation of our
inner modes of ego functioning which prevents us from transcending to a different level
of knowing in order to realize our true "SELF". These Four Birds are:

   1. The Duck (Bat, in Farsi Language). He is the representation of our unending wants
        and greed.

   2. The Rooster (Khoroce, in Farsi Language). This bird represents our unrelinquishing
        desires for having and our fictitious needs.

   3. The Peacock (Tavos, in Farsi Language). He is a symbol of our vanity, & ambitiousness.

   4. The Raven (Zagh, in Farsi Language). This bird represents our constant worry about
        security, and fear of death.

Purely worldly individuals who have never experienced the inner energy of their soul, at
times will identify with one or all four of these "Four Birds" as part of their Persona
(Latin Word for Personality). As they pursue relentlessly hunting down others, without
realizing that they are the true hunted ones!

Rumi in his poem referring to the "Four Birds), says:

It is the Duck, Peacock, Raven, and Rooster,
who are representing the people who hold power over you
It is the link of these Four Powers  which puts man in bonds,
the inner SELF has been prisoned by these Four, for ever.
Oh brother, if you plan to have a life of joy, 
turn your back to these four evil forces.
Duck is wanting, and the Rooster is constantly yearning to have,
Peacock is ambitious, and the Raven is seeking security.
It is this pack of Four which is hunting you down constantly,
not even knowing the reasons for this ongoing hunt.
In an abrupt snap when a trap catches a bird,
trap is not aware of this act of catching.
Oh brother, you spend your life making friends,

after many years of efforts, you suddenly leave them
your goal has been since birth,
hunting people with your cleverly formed traps.
relinquish the hunting and this addiction,
if not, you will be left empty handed.
look around you, the day light is here already,
yet, you are still pursuing your never ending hunt
do you know you have been trapping yourself not others?
At times you feel momentarily as an owner of your trap,
but, foolishly you have been hunting nobody else, but yourself. 

Rumi helps us to transcend the ego-directed mood of living
and enter the era of unbounded CONSCIOUSNESS!

   The Secrets are hidden between the lines
   If I reveal them steadfastly to you,
   The world's fabric will be unraveled.
		Rumi


Rumi friends Publication Series
www.rumifriends.org
Larkspur, California